Little Moments
by Takersgurl35
Summary: When Mark and Sammy are tricked into sharing a duplex, will these two hit it off or will Mark's grumpy ways and Sammy's hidden secrets and fear of men, keep them apart. Undertaker Mark Calaway OC Complete!
1. Chapter 1

_**Little Moments**_

_Samantha Brown (aka)- Samantha Belmont- Cut herself off from her parents ten years ago, because they interfered in her life. Software writer, shy , absentminded and has some secrets that keep her from trusting men, her world is her work and she rarely comes up for air._

_Mark Calaway- Newly retired wrestler, moves to Tampa to be closer to his friends. Kevin has the perfect place for him to live ,in a duplex with Kevin's shy sister in law. _

_Summary- When Mark and Sammy are tricked into sharing a duplex, will these two hit it off or will Mark's grumpy ways and Sammy's hidden secrets and fear of men, keep them apart._

Sammy looked up from her computer and looked out the window, it was daylight, what the hell, she had started working at dusk last night, she shrugged and got up stretching, she was like that got lost in her work, for hours, days, even whole weeks, but this was what made sense to her, numbers, lines of code, it always made sense, she didn't have to think about that, it was people that didn't add up for Sammy.

She got up and went down the hallway to the bathroom and shed her clothes. She yawned as the hot water hit her and stretched again.

She had been here a month and surprisingly she liked it. She smiled as she thought of Kevin, her brother in law was a sweetheart, she didn't like men as a general rule, steered clear of them, but Kevin was like the big brother, she had always wanted, he was very kind to her and was always checking on her, he was the one who had offered to let her stay in the duplex, it was in sight of his and Mia's house, she wanted to pay him for staying here, but he had frowned at her, saying she was family and he wasn't charging her.

Kevin was a good guy , and she loved being right next to her sister and Seth , she had also became quite friendly with Bailey and Scott and Emma was a sweetheart. Sammy often gathered the kids up and they played on the beach in the afternoons.

Kevin had told her he might rent the other side of the duplex at some point, but he assured her it wouldn't be to anyone he didn't know, she smiled as she got out of the shower, Kevin was very protective of her, he had chased her father off the other day when he showed up.

Ever since she had come back, her father had harassed her to come back home, start working in the family business, she refused, she knew he was going to drive her crazy when she came back, but Sammy had just wanted him to drop the custody suit against Mia, and it had worked, she had to just keep telling her father, she didn't want any part of him or his business. Sammy had made a agreement with him over the custody suit, she had to visit once a week, but thats all she did.

Mostly the man just resigned himself to calling her and trying to catch her out shopping, his one run in with Kevin had seemed to scare him to death and he steered clear of her home now.

Sammy didn't go out much anyway, she could drive, but she didn't like to, most of the time she just caught a ride with Bailey or Mia when she need to go shopping, her driving skills were minimal at best, her skills at anything other than programming were minimal, if she wasn't passionate about something, she didn't bother with it enough to get better at it, Sammy was just like that.

Sammy threw on some baggy shorts and a too big tank top and walked down to the kitchen, she look at her cabinets like they were aliens and finally opened them, she took out the lone tea bag, she was out of coffee, she grabbed the tea kettle and put water in it and sat it on the stove and then looked for a loaf of bread, she found one piece and sighed and laid it on a paper towel, when the tea was done, she would make toast.

Sammy went back to her laptop and got back to work, waiting for the water to boil.

* * *

Mia threw the pan at Kevin. "How could you." She demanded.

Kevin frowned. "Mia stop throwing things and listen."

"Kevin, you know how Sammy is, she's going to freak." Mia said sitting down at the kitchen table.

Kevin sat down. "Mia, I know Mark is a little rough around the edges, hell so was I, but he's a good guy and I cant be here all the time, he'll keep an eye on her, if your sorry ass father messes with her, he'll squash him like a bug."

Mia looked at Kevin and smiled, she knew he was concerned about Sammy. "Well I just think you should have warned her first that he's moving in next to her."

Kevin took her hand and kissed it. "Trust me, everything will be fine."

* * *

Mark pulled up in the driveway of the duplex, it was nice, it was a huge house, he guessed thats why it had been made into two apartments, Kevin told him he could stay here as long as he wanted, and he knew Kevin wasn't charging him nearly what this place was worth.

Kevin said someone was living on the other side, but they worked all the time and was quite, that suited Mark fine, and then he had his two best buddies near by, it seemed perfect.

He got out of his truck and seen the Infiniti parked in front of his truck. He was going to grab some of his stuff when he seen black smoke coming from the other side of the duplex, he ran up the stairs and started banging at the door, when there was no answer and he tried the door, it was unlocked, he walked in to find a teapot smoldering on the stove, the kitchen filled with smoke.

Mark pulled the kettle off the stove and put the kettle in the sink. "Damn idiot." He muttered wondering who the hell could not smell or see all that smoke, he walked into the living room to find Sammy on her laptop, not even noticing he was there.

Kevin sure as hell didn't tell him he would be living right next to Sammy. "Hello!" He bellowed

Sammy was so startled she fell off the edge of the chair she was sitting in and hit the floor with a bang, she looked up at the big man and was about to scream, when she realized two things, it was Mark, and she knew he was Kevin's friend, he wasn't going to hurt her, and two the house was smoky. "Umm how did you get in?" She asked her voice little more than a whisper.

Mark crossed his big arms looking at her with disapproval. "Your front door was unlocked, and you just about burned your kettle up, lucky I saw the smoke." He snapped.

Sammy got up, embarrassed, these kind of things happened to her a lot, her brain seemed only able to focus on one thing at a time, when she had hopped back on the computer, she had forgot all about the tea and toast. "I just sorta lost track, I was working, I forgot about the teapot."

Mark shook his head. "I'm going to be living next door, I sure don't want it burned down, maybe you should pay more attention."

Sammy stopped and looked at him. "Next door, the next apartment?"

Mark nodded. "Yes, and I don't want to die in my sleep from asphyxiation."

Sammy blushed, she did things like this all the time, she would have to be more careful, the big man wasn't pleased. Mark just shook his head, just what he needed to be living next door to a dingbat.

"I'll be more careful." She promised.

"See that you do." He snapped then turned on his heel and left.

Sammy sighed and went in the kitchen, she tried to clean the kettle up some and then shrugged. She needed to go to the store anyway, she would go see if Mia was at home.

Sammy was bummed out that the first thing she had done was make a bad impression on her new neighbor.

* * *

Sammy knocked on Mia's door. Kevin opened the door smiling, he opened the screen "C'mon in sweetheart."

"Hey Kevin, is Mia here?"

Kevin shook his head. "Sit down, have a cup of coffee."

She sat down and took the coffee gratefully, she had been out a couple of days. "You want a sandwich?"

"I don't want to be a bother." She said.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Hush, you look like you've lost more weight since last week, you need to eat." He scolded.

"I know I know, I just forget." Sammy said sipping the coffee.

Kevin sat the sandwich in front of her and she picked it up taking a bite."Thanks."

"So you didn't tell me your friend Mark was moving in." She said.

"You okay with that, I don't want you upset." Kevin said pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"It's fine, he's a friend of yours, so he must be okay." She said smiling.

Kevin smiled. "He's a bit of a grump, but he's okay, Mia and Seth went to pick up Emma from pre-school and their going to the zoo."

"Shoot, I must have just missed them, I was going to ride to the store." She said getting up and putting the plate in the sink.

Kevin gave her a look. "You don't have a crumb of food in the house do you?"

Sammy blushed, she felt stupid, its just she didn't think about things like that till she was out of everything. "Umm I have a piece of bread."

Kevin crossed his big arms and frowned down at her. "Sammy, you have to come up for air sometimes and eat, honey, all you do is sit in front of that computer and work, thats not good for you."

Sammy nodded. "I know, I just get lost sometimes."

Kevin's expression softened, Sammy hid from the world in her work. "I know, look I have to stay here, I'm waiting on a package, but I know Mark is going back out in a while."

"No don't bother him, I guess I'll just have to drive today." She said

"No no, its fine, I know he said he was going to the grocery store, its no bother." Kevin said going to call Mark.

Sammy sighed, she didn't want Mark to tell Kevin what had happened, she already felt dumb enough.

Sammy sat there twiddling her thumbs, nervous, she knew Mark would tell Kevin what a dummy she was, like Kevin didn't already know.

Kevin came back in. "It's no problem, scoot though, he's leaving in a few minutes."

She was surprised when Kevin didn't say anything about the whole incident. Sammy jumped up giving Kevin a quick hug. "Thanks."

Kevin patted her back. "No problem, come by tonight for dinner."

"I'll try." She said as she ran out the door.

Kevin shook his head, she was a sweet girl, just a little absent minded.

* * *

Sammy ran in her house and pulled her clothes off throwing them on the floor, she pulled on a pair of jeans and a tank top that fit and ran a brush through her short curls. She grabbed her bank card and some cash just in case and stuck it in her back pocket and ran back out her front door, Mark was leaning on his truck. "Whoa, lock your door, you have your keys?"

Sammy stopped and ran back in the house and grabbed her keys and came back out locking the door.

Mark walked around the truck and opened the door for her. "Thank you." She said and got in.

Mark just shook his head, she was a real feather brain, Kevin said she did computer programs, he seen the type before, book smart, but no common sense.

Mark got in and looked at her. "Seat belt."

Sammy blushed and put the seatbelt on, he must really think she was a dummy.

Mark backed out of the driveway. "So why don't you drive?" he asked as he started down the road.

"Well I can, just don't like too, I don't know, it overwhelms me." She said, she knew it sounded stupid, but she just hated driving, she felt unsafe , out of control, like anything could happen.

Sammy knew she had some issues, she just chose not to deal with them, she pushed the bad stuff to the back of her mind.

Mark glanced at her, seeing she was staring at her hands, he didn't make any comment about her driving, it just proved his point that she was a nut.

The rest of the ride was silent, he pulled up into the grocery store parking lot and Sammy groaned inwardly, why did it have to be this store, Belmont's any store but this.

"Problem?" Mark asked seeing the look on her face.

"Umm no." She said and hopped out of the truck before he could get out.

Mark got out. "I'll meet you out here, is a half and hour fine?" He asked following her.

"Yeah, that fine." She said and hurried off.

Mark shook his head, she was a weird one. Mia got a cart and started throwing stuff in the cart, she just wanted to get out of here as quick as possible, she knew dad had hundreds of stores, but it still gave her the creeps.

She slowed down and looked in her cart, coffee, juice, bread, peanut butter, oranges and apples, she needed some cheese, crackers and cold cuts." She headed off to round up those things.

She also grabbed some tea and milk, then grabbed some carrots and celery to munch on.

Sammy knew she should have wrote a list, she couldn't remember if she needed anything else.

Sammy grabbed some shampoo and soap and figured that was it and headed for the check out.

She figure she was right at a half an hour and rolled her cart outside, she sighed this is where she always had trouble, she could never remember where the car was parked, last time Mia had come looking for her because she was wondering around in the huge mall parking lot looking for Mia's Tahoe.

Sammy sighed, trying to remember what color his truck was, she thought it was black, she walked this way and that way, but didn't see him or his truck. It was hot and she was getting tired and frustrated, Mark might get pissed and leave her.

She wondered around what seemed like forever when she heard him yelling. "Dammit, where have you been?" Mark shouted.

Sammy was relieved to see him, but she wasn't so happy to see how angry he was. "I'm sorry I forgot where you parked."

Mark had to bite his lip hard to keep from yelling at her, but he kept telling himself this was Kevin's sister in law, he knew Kevin thought a lot of her, he grabbed her cart and started rolling it toward his truck.

Sammy kept her tear filled eyes down, she had really screwed up with Mark, he would probably run when he saw her from now on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for the reviews!**

* * *

Mark looked over at Sammy, ever since he had yelled at her about getting lost in the parking lot, she had just sat there with her head down not saying nothing, not that she said much anyway.

He blew out a breath of air, he shouldn't have yelled at her, she seemed like a sensitive woman, nervous, shy, he had promised Kevin he would be nice to her, Kevin hadn't given him any details, he just told Mark she had been through some rough times.

Sammy was miserable, she had a hard time dealing with people anyway, she was doing better here, she had Mia and Seth, and Kevin was great, she was even able to hang out with Bailey and Scott and Emma, she felt like she was making friends and she had a family now, but she had really messed things up with her new neighbor.

They got back to the house and Mark got out and opened the door for her. She whizzed past him and Mark got her bags out of the back of the truck. "I can get them." She said holding out her hands for the bags.

Mark ignored her and carried them up to the front door. Sammy followed and pulled her keys from her pocket and opened the door. Mark walked through the house and set the bags on the counter. "Thank you."

Mark turned to find her behind him, but she refused to look at him. "No problem."

Mark walked past her and went and got his things and took them in side of the duplex.

Mark put up his grocery's, guilt eating at him, he shouldn't have yelled at her, but dammit, she was so scatterbrained, it was hard not to get irritated with her.

Mark grabbed a beer and sat down at the kitchen table, He was having dinner at Kevin's tonight, Scott, Bailey and Emma were coming too, he supposed Sammy would be there too.

He just hoped he didn't have to deal with Sammy much, his temperament wasn't the best in the world.

* * *

Mia looked over at Kevin. Did you ask Sammy to dinner?"

Kevin put more corn on Seth's plate."Yeah I did."

"Thank you papa." Seth said smiling up at Kevin.

"You're welcome son." Kevin said and looked at his wife . " She said she would try."

Bailey saw the worried look on Mia's face. "She's probably working."

Mia sighed. "Yeah thats all she does, Mark was she okay when you dropped her off from the store?"

"Yep." He said grabbing more fried chicken.

The kids finished and Mia sent them to play in the living room with the promise of dessert in a little while. "Maybe I should call her and check on her."

Scott looked at Mia. "Mia loosen up on her a bit, your sister is fine, she does things her own way, I wouldn't push her."

Mia knew she was right, it drove Sammy crazy when she hovered over her, but it was hard not to.

"Mark, her dad has been bugging her, if he comes around, I need you to scare the shit outta him." Kevin said.

Mark looked at him and then at Mia. Mia sighed. "Our dad is a jerk, he is Tyson Belmont, he's bugging Sammy to come back and live at home, and help him run his stores." She explained.

Mark nodded. "No problem, he comes around, I'll pound him."

Scott and Kevin laughed, Mark was just looking for an excuse to kick some ass, he was perfect to look after Sammy.

Mia smiled at Mark. "Thanks Mark, I worry about her, I feel better knowing your living next to her."

Mark just nodded, he guessed he was being put in charge of the family loony, but he shrugged it off, how much trouble could it be keeping a eye on her, first thing tomorrow, he was putting smoke detectors in her place, hell if he wanted to die in his sleep.

Emma came running back in the kitchen. "Uncle Mark after dinner, will you take me and Seth on a walk on the beach, pretty please." She asked smiling up at him.

Mark was still trying to get used to the rug rats, they were okay, but he just wasn't a kid person, but she did look kinda cute. "Sure kid." He growled.

Emma had got used to her Uncle Mark's gruff ways and she just grinned even bigger. "Thank you." She said and ran back in the living room. "He said yes!" Emma hollered at Seth.

Scott grinned but kept his mouth shut, Mark was getting used to the kids, but he was still working on it.

Mia fed everyone dessert and the kids ate their pie, in record time and ran to the bathroom to wash their hands.

Mark stood. "Mia, dinner was great, thank you."

Mia smiled. "You're welcome, and don't wait for a invitation, come over anytime."

Mark nodded. "Yes Ma'am."

Kevin looked at his wife. "We're going to hole up here and play poker tomorrow."

Mia nodded. "Thats fine, I'll leave you guys some food, and I'll go visit Emma and Bailey."

Seth poked his head in the kitchen. "Can I stay with the guys Papa?"

Kevin smiled. "Sure son."

Seth grinned and ran back in the living room.

"AUNT MIA SOMEONES AT THE DOOR!" Emma yelled from the living room.

Kevin got up. "I'll get it."

He walked down to the living room and opened the door. "Hey Sammy, you're late for dinner, but c'mon I'll fix you a plate."

Sammy smiled and shook her head. "Not hungry."

The two kids ran over hugging her. "Hey Aunt Sammy." The both chorused.

Sammy smiled giving them both hugs and kisses. "Hey I thought we would walk on the beach before it gets dark.

Mia walked in followed by Mark. "Hey Sammy, why didn't you come to dinner?"

"Not hungry." She simply said.

Mark cast a eye at the woman, she was to damn skinny, she needed to eat. Mia looked at her sister with a worried look but didn't comment.

Kevin grinned, this was perfect. "Sammy has perfect timing, she came to take a walk with the kids, Mark was just about to take them, now you can all go together."

Mark scowled and Sammy looked none too happy, but the kids seemed thrilled with the idea. "Oh boy. C'mon Uncle Mark." Emma said taking his hand and dragging him toward the door.

Seth took his Aunts hand. "C'mon, lets go."

Sammy sighed but followed them out the door, by this time Bailey and Scott had walked in and Mia was giving Kevin a look. "If I didn't know better , I would swear you're trying to set those two up."

Kevin just shrugged. "Who me, naw." He said sitting down in his recliner.

Scott laughed and took a seat. "Mia, they would be perfect, I see Kevin's point, and with Mark around, no one would ever hurt her."

Mia sat down, only Kevin knew her history, why she was so shy and introverted."Mark is too big, grumpy and well I don't think she could handle him, you know how shy she is, well he would just scare her to death."

Bailey sat down beside Mia. "Don't write it off, maybe Mark needs a sweet shy girl, he's always dated and married, loud pushy types, by whats Scott's told me, maybe Sammy is just what he needs, and maybe Mark is what she needs."

Mia looked skeptical. "Well as long as he don't upset her, I guess we'll just see if the two of them click."

Kevin just smiled, he had a feeling about Mark and Sammy, He had seen a spark of interest in Mark's eye when the two had met months ago, Mark was attracted to her, and if he hung around long enough it could be something more.

* * *

Mark had thought he would have to try to make conversation with her, but she was to busy running in and out of the waves with the kids, she was like one of them as they ran and splashed and danced around in the shallow water.

Mark watched her curls kink up in the salt spray and hang in ringlets around her face, she was a beauty.

Emma grabbed Seth's arm. "Uncle Mark keeps looking at her, but he wont talk to her."

Seth looked and sure enough Mark was looking at his Aunt. "So what do we do?"

"I'm gonna talk to him." She said.

Seth grabbed his Aunts hand and pulled her in the shallow water to play.

"Uncle Mark." Mark looked down at Emma. "You're soaking wet."

She just grinned. "Yeah I know, Uncle Mark do you like to kiss?" She asked falling step beside him.

"Young lady what kind of question is that?" Mark barked at her.

Emma was taken aback by his snapping at her. "I'm sorry." She said tears welling in her eyes, she didn't know what she had done wrong.

Mark sighed , all this mushy shit was going to be the death of him. He bent down in front of the girl. "I didn't mean to snap, but thats not a appropriate question to be asking someone." He corrected.

Emma looked up at the big man. "Why?"

Mark rubbed his hand through his long hair."Well its personal for one thing and you're way to young to be thinking about kissing."

Emma wiped at her red eyes and Mark hugged her, she was too cute for her own good, and hell he hadn't meant to make her cry. "I just thought you could kiss Aunt Sammy, you know like Daddy kisses Mama, I bet she would like you then."

Mark rolled his eyes and then pushed the little girl back some so he could look at her. "Emma, Sammy is a nice lady but we don't like each other like that."

Emma looked confused. "Well course you don't, you ain't kissed her yet, thats why you need to kiss her, then you'll like her like that and then marry her."

Mark felt the smile move across his face, before he could stop it. "Really that how it works?"

"Uhh huh, how do you think Mama and daddy and Uncle Kevin and Aunt Mia got married, caused they kissed all the time." The little girl said shaking her head, no wonder Uncle Mark wasn't married, he didn't know nothing about girls.

"Well Emma, thanks for telling me, but I think me and Sammy should just be friends." He said patting the girls back.

Emma just smiled. "Okay." But she knew she just had to get them to kissing and everything would work out fine. "You know what else kissing brings?"

Mark stood and took her hand and started walking her toward Sammy and Seth. "What?'

Emma smiled happily. "Babies, My mama is gonna have a baby just for me."

Mark looked down at the girl surprised. "Really?"

"Yep, they told me yesterday and they told Aunt Mia and Uncle Kevin today, maybe you could kiss Aunt Sammy and have some babies." She suggested and then ran off to play with Seth.

Mark shuddered, kids no way, but he knew that Scott must be thrilled. Mark watched Sammy playing tag with the two kids, it was obvious she was good with them, as they laughed and weaved in and out of the shallow water.

The sun was starting to dip and Mark walked down to the water's edge. "Suns going down, get out of the water."

He heard groans from the children, but Sammy took the kids hands and led them out of the surf. "Should have just wore bathing suits, you're all soaked."

The kids were shivering as the sun dipped, Sammy picked up Emma and Mark scooped up Seth and the headed back to Kevin's house.

Mark and Sammy handed the kids over to Mia and Bailey. "Come in and eat." Mia said rubbing her son down with a big towel.

Sammy stood at the door dripping water. "No thanks sis, I'm going home." Sammy waved to the kids and told them she would see them tomorrow and opened the door, Mark jumped up. "Hold on I'll walk with you."

Sammy held the door for him and he followed her out. Kevin looked at Mia and grinned. "See he likes her already."

Emma looked at her mother. "I told Uncle Mark to kiss her, but he wouldn't, maybe he will when we're not around."

Bailey shook her head. "Emma you shouldn't be saying that to Mark."

Emma looked up at her mother as she used a big towel to dry her face. "But why not, they'll fall in love and get married, if they kiss."

Scott had to suppress laughing, his baby had her own ideas about romance." Niblet I think mama means the whole idea of matchmaking is that the two people don't know you're trying to get them together, so try to be a little more sneaky about it, okay?"

Emma smiled. "Okay daddy."

Mia smiled at the the thought of her whole family trying to set up Mark and Sammy, she just hoped Sammy didn't get hurt, she hadn't trusted a man in a long time and she had a lot of pain buried, the abuse they had suffered at the hands of their father just served to make Sammy even more introverted than she would have been, she just wished she knew how to help her sister.

Dad claimed he had been so hard on them to make them stronger, better, but they could never please him, especially Sammy, she was her father's choice to run the company, so he was even harder on her.

* * *

Mark walked down the beach to their duplex, Sammy was shivering in cold. "As soon as you get in, take a hot shower, so you wont get sick."

Sammy looked up surprised he had said anything. She only nodded in response. They parted ways at their front doors.

Sammy went to the kitchen to make fresh coffee, she got the coffee started and grabbed a towel and wiped off her face and kicked her wet shoes off in the kitchen floor.

She stood and waited for the coffee and went in the living room sinking down on the big soft couch and enjoying the hot coffee.

She was almost finished with the software she was working on, she could finish tonight , it wasn't like she didn't have a million other projects to work on, she did, she worked for the biggest software company in the country, she was the best programmer/ writer they had, they weren't rushing her, she turned in more software than anyone, some of it projects they requested her to do, some was software she came up with herself, but it was only because in her computer and her work, she was home, she was comfortable with her numbers and code strings, so thats where she spent all her time.

She grabbed another cup of coffee and sat down at her desk and opened her laptop, she hadn't slept in three days, but she felt no need to sleep.

Her cellphone rang and she picked it up looking at the number, she rolled her eyes and tossed it down. It was her father, she couldn't deal with him tonight, she turned back to her computer and tuned out the world around her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews**

* * *

Mark woke and looked at the red light of his digital clock, four in the morning, he frowned, what the fuck, he sat up and sniffed, there was a burning smell.

He jumped up and turned on the light and went down the hall and headed to the kitchen, he switched on the light and looked around, he hadn't left anything on.

Mark walked out of the kitchen and then rolled his eyes, maybe the dingbat was burning something up again.

He knew there was a connecting door between their apartments, Kevin said he left it in for fire safety reasons.

He turned and went down to the front foyer and tried the door, it could be locked on either side and he wasn't surprised to find it open, he walked in and the burning smell was awful, the door opened into the hallway leading to her kitchen. Mark was getting madder and madder. He walked in the kitchen to see her coffee pot smoking, the pot long since empty but left on, he turned off the coffee pot and took the smoking glass carafe and put it in the sink.

Mark stalked back down the hall and into the living room to find her once again engrossed in her computer, Mark was pissed. "Are you nuts?" He said very loudly.

Sammy blinked as the loud booming voice pulled her away from her world of numbers, she blinked and then turned to see a very angry Mark towering over her. "You are going to burn this place down, you left a coffee pot on, it smoked up the whole place, the smell woke me up, are you telling me you didn't smell that?" He boomed at her loudly.  
Sammy sniffed the air and closed her eyes, she had forgot to turn the pot off. "I...I..." She trailed off not knowing what to say.

Mark crossed his big arms. "I'm putting fire detectors in tomorrow, before you kill both of us."

Sammy tried to think of something to say, but she was at a loss, what was she supposed to say? "Sorry I'm so stupid."

Mark looked her over and realized she didn't even dry off last night, she would probably be sick as a dog.

Mark grabbed her arm, it wasn't hard, but firmly and pulled her up, he noticed she shrank back like she was scared of him. "Get up take a hot shower and get your ass to bed, you have black circles under your eyes. How long has been since you slept?"

Sammy looked down. "A couple of days."

"Move." he boomed. "At least if you're asleep, I can go home and sleep without worrying about you burning me up."

Sammy felt tears sting her eyes, she was a screw up she knew that, thats why Kent had took the money over her, and then he had come back to try to get her to sleep with him, cause he thought that was all she was good for, what she hadn't been willing to give he had taken. "Sammy!"

Mark's booming her name out caused her to snap out of it and she looked up at the big man.

Mark groaned dammit tears, just what he didn't want to deal with, she looked do damn sad standing there with tears in those big blue eyes, her hair still in tight curls from the water yesterday.

"Stop crying , I ain't gonna hurt ya." He snapped.

Sammy tried to but his tone wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy. Mark sighed. "Look, I mean it, stop crying." He said in a quieter voice.

Sammy rubbed at her eyes and Mark shook his head. "Stop, you'll just make them burn worse. He took her hands and held them in in big hands.

Sammy was startled by the feel of his big warm hands, she jumped startled, she never let men touch her.

Mark thought she looked like a startled doe, with those big eyes, ready to run at any moment, and then a odd thing happened to him, standing there looking at her, how sweet she looked, every bit of his anger drained, it was just gone. "Sammy go on, its okay, I'll fix you a cup of tea, go shower and then off to bed, you're tired."

Sammy just stared at the big man for a moment, she was thinking about the fact, she had to get undressed with a man in her house and it scared her, Mark saw the fear and for some reason the last thing he wanted was her to fear him. "I'm not gonna hurt you, go on." His voice now a quite rumble.

Sammy believed him for some odd reason, seemingly mesmerized by his green eyes. Mark let go of her hands and she turned away breaking the eye contact and heading down the hall.

Mark walked down to the kitchen and microwaved a cup of water and opened the cabinets looking for a tea bag, he frowned at the food in the cabinets, peanut butter, crackers and bread, he shook his head as he pulled a tea bag out of the box, no wonder she was so damn skinny he thought.

Mark made the tea and put honey in it instead of sugar, she sure didn't need any sugar in her system, she needed to sleep.

He carried the tea into the living room and sat it down on the table, he should really leave, but he ignored that voice and sat down on the sofa to wait.

Mark looked up when she came in, her hair was wet and she had on a big t-shirt and shorts, she hesitated, but Mark waved her over. "Sit down here." He indicated the place on the couch beside him, and watched as she skirted around him and sank on the sofa.

Mark took the towel from around her shoulders. "C'mere."

She scooted closer and Mark used the towel to dry her dripping hair. "Wonder you don't have pneumonia, you need a keeper." he growled.

Sammy sensed the words weren't angry, that he was just growling and she sat still while he dried her short hair, when he seemed satisfied he laid the towel over the back of the couch and handed her the cup of tea. "Thank you."

Mark nodded and sat there while she drank it down. "Okay get on to bed, no sleep in two days, I never heard of such nonsense." He grumbled.

Sammy got up and looked at him. "Sorry I was such a bother." She said softly.

Mark stood and took the empty cup. "It wasn't a bother, not yet anyway, the faster you get to bed the sooner I can get back to sleep."

Sammy nodded and murmured a hurried goodnight and slipped past him and down the hall. Mark went and set the cup in the sink and went back down the hall to the connecting door, he went through it, but left it unlocked , he figured it would better to leave it open, with her for a neighbor, he knew he would have to use the door again.

He suspected Kevin had tricked him into moving in here to baby sit his spacey sister in law, he knew that Kevin was fond of her, he could see he worried about her, as did Mia. He sighed wondering how he had slipped into the role of baby sitter so easily.

* * *

Mark stepped out on the deck at eight in the morning, Mia was pounding on Sammy's door. "Let her sleep, she was up working till after four."

Mia looked at Mark wanting to know how he knew how late she stayed up, but she didn't ask. "Is she okay?"

Mark nodded. "Just tired, I'll tell her you came by."

Mia suppressed a grin, he was circling like a guard dog, maybe Kevin was right. "Okay, thanks, I'll call later."

Mark nodded and sat on the deck watching the waves roll in on the shore, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the deck and walked out to go for a swim. He got in the water and started swimming out. Mark cleared his mind as his powerful arms stroked evenly.

Mark couldn't keep Sammy off his mind, he had enough sense to know that there was something damaged in her, he could see it in her fear, and the way she shrank back away from him, she was scared of his anger, he would have to tone down his sometimes hot temperament around her, why he gave a damn ,he didn't know, but he did.

* * *

Mark looked at the time, he was heading over to Kevin's in a while to play cards. He walked out on his deck, he could have just used the connecting door, but this wasn't a emergency and he didn't want to just be walking in her house whenever he felt like it.

Mark knocked on the door and Sammy came to the door a minute later. "How did ya sleep?"

"Good." She said.

Mark held up the fire detectors. "I'm going to install these, I'll be at Kevin's playing cards this evening. if you need anything."

Sammy nodded but couldn't help but wonder why he was trying to help her, but then he was Kevin's friend, he was just being nice. She shut the door behind him and watched as he put one of the detectors in the kitchen.

Sammy hadn't been up long, she opened the cabinet and pulled out her peanut butter and a handful of crackers.

Mark was done with the one detector and stomped over. "Is that all you eating?"

"Umm yeah." She said looking at him, he was very handsome, even if he did frown a lot.

Mark opened her refrigerator and her cabinets, his frown becoming worse. "Your eating habits are terrible."

Sammy shrugged. "Well I try not to cook, I usually just end up burning it or starting a fire."

Mark turned to look at her. "You're too skinny, you need to eat right." He said and shut the cabinet back.

Mark went to put the other detector in the living room. Sammy definitely needed a keeper, he wondered how she had took care of herself all these years.

Mark finished up and came back to the kitchen. "C'mon, I'm going to fix you dinner."

Sammy just stared at him. "Well let's go."

Sammy was mighty confused by Mark, she still wasn't even sure he liked her. Sammy got up and followed him to his side of the house. She looked around and was surprised to see, it was neat and clean, she followed him down to the kitchen and sat down at one of the barstools, watching him pull steaks out of the fridge. "Can I help?"

Mark pulled out the stuff for a salad and handed her a knife. "Make a salad, while I throw steaks on the grill."

She pulled the bowl closer to her and watched as Mark took steaks outside. Sammy busied herself chopping the vegetables for a salad, Mark came in and threw a couple of baked potatoes in the oven.

"Ouch." Mark turned around and seen Sammy was bleeding, he grabbed her hand and a handful of paper towels pressing them to the cut to stop the bleeding.

Sammy felt like a idiot, she couldn't even do something simple. Mark took off the towel and looked at her finger. "Its not to bad." He led her to the sink and washed the cut and then grabbed a band aid and wrapped it around the finger. "Okay." Mark said and let her go.

Sammy sighed. " I'm sorry I screw up everything."

Mark lifted her chin with one big hand. "Sammy its just a salad, not the end of the world."

Mark seen tears shining in her eyes, she took things way to serious."Why don't you finish up, okay?"

Sammy suddenly smiled, she was surprised he would let her near a knife again. "Okay."

Mark just shook his head and went outside to check on the steaks. Sammy finished the salad and set it on the table, then she got up and found the dishes and set the table.

Mark came in to check the potatoes. "You can pour us some iced tea."

Sammy found the glasses and poured two tall glasses, the smell of the steaks cooking were actually making her hungry.

Ten minutes later they were seated at the table eating and Mark was happy to see she was actually eating and not playing with it."So Mia said you write software?"

Sammy nodded. "yeah I work for a company, I do some of their stuff and write my own software too, but I have a contract with them, I only sell my stuff to them."

"Well you seem to have plenty of work, thats all you seem to do." Mark commented.

"I stay busy." She agreed, but she liked busy, it left little time to think.

"Too busy, you have take time to eat and sleep." He scolded.

Sammy didn't comment, she often went days without eating or sleeping .

Mark watched her, she really was pretty, she needed to gain a little weight, she was a small little thing, he knew her and Mia were twins, they had similar coloring, but Sammy was shorter than Mia.

They finished dinner and Sammy helped him wash up the dishes and put them away. "Thank you for dinner, but I should get back to work."

Mark leaned on the counter and nodded. "No problem, see you later."

Sammy left and Mark grabbed his keys, it was time to get to Kevin's, he had a night of card playing and beer drinking to look forward too.

* * *

Mark sipped his beer and looked at Kevin. "Lay the cards down , let me see what ya got."

Kevin grinned and laid the cards down. "Full house."

Scott threw his cards down in disgust. "You're killing me bro."

Kevin just grinned and Mark grabbed the cards and started shuffling. "Hey Papa, you keep winning, will I ever win? The boy said handing his cards to Mark.

Mark smiled as the boy sipped his root beer. "Don't worry kid, You'll be a card shark before you know it."

Seth grinned and looked at Kevin. "Hear that Papa, I'll be as good as you."

Scott and Kevin smiled at his enthusiasm.

By ten that night Seth was asleep in his chair, and Kevin got up and put him to bed.

Kevin came back and had more beer. "So Mark, do you like the house?"

Mark leveled his friend with a look. "Don't think I haven't figured out what you're up to."

Scott smirked, he didn't think Mark would catch on that fast.

"What?" Kevin asked.

Mark opened his beer and took a drink. "You needed a keeper for Sammy, thats why you moved me in there, The little girl don't eat, don't sleep and works all the time."

Scott and Kevin just looked at each other. "Yeah well, I know she works a lot, she come up to play with the kids some, but other than that unless Mia drags her out, she stays right there and works."

Mark frowned. "Yeah, all she has in her house , is bread, crackers and peanut butter, a few vegetables, I made her eat dinner tonight, she's way to skinny."

Kevin smiled, this was going better than he planned. "Mark if its to much, I can move her in with us, I mean that was my intention, but she wouldn't hear it, she wanted her own place, but I'm sure Mia could talk her into moving in here."

Mark shook his head. "Naw, she's not that much trouble, at least she's quite and I don't have to worry about wild parties."

Scott spoke up. "She needs to start eating right and get out some, she stays holed up in that house all the time staring at a computer screen, that cant be good for her."

Kevin nodded in agreement. "She only gets out to play with the kids some, she hardly goes anywhere."

Mark looked down at his cards, Sammy seriously needed to get a life besides her work, maybe he could get her out of the house some, its not like he had any thing else to do since he was retired.


	4. Chapter 4

**lots of reviews make me happy, so here's a extra chapter for you guys, thanks.  
**

* * *

Mark rolled out of bed and walked in his bathroom , he turned the shower on and got under the hot water, he had got home around one and went straight to bed.

He got out of the shower and dried off, he walked in his bedroom and pulled out a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt and then he brushed his long hair and put it in a pony tail.

Mark had a plan for the day, he was going to get Sammy out of the house, and he wasn't taking no for an answer.

* * *

Sammy rolled and tossed in her sleep caught in the throes of a nightmare. Her father, Kent and her other tormentor loomed over her yelling at her, her father telling how worthless she was. "No." She moaned tossing and turning. Sammy screamed a ear piercing scream and sat up in bed, sweat beading on her face, her breathing heavy. When her door burst opened, she wasn't even that surprised to see Mark, he seemed to be invading her world at every turn. "I heard you scream, you okay."

She looked up at his big frame parked in front of her bed and realized she should be freaking out, she wasn't though, she knew Mark had no interest in her, more than likely Kevin had simply asked him to keep a eye on her. "No." She said and sat up on the side of the bed, thats when Mark noticed her smooth tanned legs, he shook his head, he need to get laid soon, he sure wasn't going to try anything with Sammy.

Sammy pushed her short curls back. "Just a bad dream."

Mark sat down beside her and she tried not to pull away from him, but she couldn't help herself, while she wasn't scared of him, she had no desire to let any man touch her.

Mark noticed and it bothered him, but he didn't comment. "Get up and get dressed, we're going fishing."

Sammy looked up at him. "Well Uhh, I should really work."

Mark got up. "You got an hour, meet me out front, we'll stop and get breakfast."

Sammy frowned as he left, he didn't even listen to her, she supposed she could just ignore him, but then, there was no telling how he might take that, she had the feeling not so well.

* * *

Sammy walked out of her front door a hour later, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and her old sneakers, Mark true to his word was sitting on the steps waiting for her, she sighed and walked over. "I'm ready I guess."

Mark knew she was not thrilled, but too damn bad, she sat in her house to much, she needed to get out. "So do you like to fish?"

Sammy shrugged. "I never have before." She knew she probably wouldn't like it, but she would go, to avoid him making that frowning face of his.

Mark opened the door of the truck for her. "It's relaxing."

"Work is relaxing for me." She said putting her seatbelt on.

Mark just rolled his eyes, she wouldn't know relaxing if it bit her in the butt.

* * *

Mark ordered her pancakes, sausage, eggs and biscuits. "I cant eat all this." She said staring at him across the booth.

Mark had his mouth full already, he took a big sip of his coffee. "Yes you can, now eat."

Sammy sighed and took a bite of pancake, how the heck was she going to eat all this and when did Mark become her daddy, he sure was acting that way, then she shook her head, her dad would have took a belt to her just for questioning him.

She ate as Mark told her more about his wrestling career, she knew that Emma and Seth loved wrestling, but other than that she didn't know much.

Mark was satisfied she was eating, if she kept this up, she might gain a few pounds. The finished up and took off for a lake he knew of that had good fishing.

* * *

Sammy sat in the boat and watched as Mark baited his hook, then he held out the carton of squirming worms to her, she picked one up and looked at , but just sat there.

"You have to put it on the hook." Mark said as he cast his line out.

Sammy sat the worm back in the carton. "I cant kill it." She said crossing her arms.

Mark rubbed his eyes, she was going to make him crazy. "Its a worm Sammy, he wont feel a thing."

Mark watched as she shook her head. "I don't care, I'm not killing it, or any fish, thats mean."

Mark gave her a not so nice look. "You eat meat don't you, how do you think it gets to your table, the meat fairy? No someone kills it."

"Not me though." She said and refused to look at him. "Fine just be stubborn." He snapped.

Sammy didn't like making him mad, but she drew the line at killing stuff, so she sat back and watched him, which wasn't boring at all, he was handsome, she observed in almost a clinical way, his eyes were beautiful, deep green, fathomless, his mustache and goatee made him look a little dangerous, and his body was perfect, all muscles and angular, whenever he moved his big arms strained against the shirt, she would bet he had women all over him.

Mark watched her laying back, just staring at him, dammit she was supposed to be fishing not putting him under a microscope, she did look awfully nice laying back in the boat, those curvy legs stretched out in front of her.

He caught something and reeled it in and threw the fish in a bucket of water. Sammy sat up and looked in the bucket. "Aww he's cute what kind of fish is that?"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Its a trout."

She nodded and seemed content to watch him fish, she wasn't chatty which was good, he didn't like talking when he was fishing.

Soon the bucket had five fish in it and he looked up to see her with her hand in the bucket petting them and talking to them. "Sammy stop that, their not pets, we're having them for dinner tonight."

Sammy looked up at him. "I'm not." She said a stubborn look in her eyes.

Mark had enough of this tree hugging, animal loving crap, he pulled his knife out and grabbed one of the fish and cut its throat, dropping it back in the bucket, he instantly regretted it when he seen the look on her face, tears shining in her blue eyes, she reach over and grabbed the bucket intent on dumping the rest back in the lake, which she did, but not before she tilted the boat dumping them both in the lake, they weren't that far from the shore, so Sammy started swimming, she already knew he was going to be mad.

Sammy heard him come up sputtering water. "Sammy, I swear when I catch you, I'm going to blister your ass." He yelled.

Sammy swam faster and thanked God for the swimming lessons she had as a kid, he was dead serious, there was no doubt from the sound of his voice, luckily he was pretty far behind her.

Every time he took a breath, he yelled a threat at her. "You wont be able to sit for a week!"

Sammy winced. "Yep he's mad, real mad." She muttered.

Sammy made it to shore and dragged herself on the bank and she turned to see Mark still swimming. "You just stay right there, little girl, I mean it!" He yelled.

Sammy thought about it, but she had received to many beatings in her life, to consider taking another one.

Sammy took off running, maybe when he cooled down, she could reason with him.

She heard him yelling her name, but there was no way she was going back there while he was so mad, Sammy shook the thoughts from her head, she had hid many a time from her angry father, but he always found her, she climbed into a thicket of bushes and sat down breathing hard, her memories pressing in on her.

"_Samantha, come out now!"_

_Eight year old Sammy huddled behind the couch in his den, hoping he wouldn't find her, she had placed third place in the science fair and her father was angry, she had tried real hard, but he said anything but first was a loser and he would teach her to work harder the next time, when Sammy seen him grab the big strap from the wall in the living room , she had ran as fast as she could._

_Mia had hid her and told her to stay quite. "Mia, wheres your sister?"_

"_I don't know ." She heard her sister reply._

"_Little liar." She heard her father say. Sammy closed her eyes tight and put her hands over her ears as she heard her sister cry out and the sound of the strap hitting her. Sammy crawled out. "Daddy stop, hit me, don't hit Mia."_

Mark seen her clothing under the bushes, he was all set to bust her ass, till he seen the look of fear on her face, and the tears already running down her face, he took her arm and pulled her out, and felt even worse when she flinched like he had slapped her. "Sammy, ." He said putting his hands on her shoulder. Sammy snapped out of it and looked up at Mark. "I I'm sssorry." She stuttered.

Mark couldn't stand the look on her face, he didn't want her to be afraid of him. "Sammy it's okay." he pulled her against him, wrapped his arms around her, she stiffened at first, but then she found herself taking in his scent and warmth, and the big arms felt so safe, she laid her head against his chest and Mark's big hand came up to stroke her hair, she relaxed fully against him. Mark rubbed her back. "Let's get you home, and get you in some dry clothes."

Sammy pulled back and looked at him. "Would you really beat me?"

Mark made a face. "I don't beat women or children Sammy, but that little stunt you pulled, well lets just say, if I hadn't calmed down when I found you, you be across my knee right now getting the spanking of your life."

Sammy blushed at his words, but said nothing. "That being said, I would never hurt you, Okay?"

Sammy nodded. "Okay lets get you home, I have to go rescue my fishing equipment first."

Sammy felt even worse as she watched him swim back out and fish his rods out and get the boat upright so he could bring it back in, he didn't look happy as he unloaded his stuff from the boat, he was soaking wet again and she didn't say a word as she followed him back to his truck.

Mark got some towels out of the back of his truck and threw her one and then tried to dry himself off, she just stood watching him, she figured he probably wanted to strangle her.

Mark having to get wet again, his irritation had built back up, but he tried not to show her, when he seen her just standing there with the towel, he threw his in the front seat of the truck and walked over taking the towel and drying her hair and the rest of her as best he could. "I swear you need a keeper."

Sammy blushed and tried to take the towel, but he smacked her hands away and finished drying her as best he could, he made her take her shoes and socks off and tossed them in the back of the truck."Get in."

Sammy did as he said and got in buckling her seat belt. The ride home was silent and she kept looking over at him wondering if he was still mad, he sure didn't look happy, when they got to the house, she got out and decided to walk down to see Mia. "Sammy get your butt in the house and change clothes." Mark barked at her.

Sammy realized she still had on wet clothes and turned and headed back to her house. "I'll see you later."

Sammy nodded and went the house to change into dry clothes, she was perplexed by Mark, he was bossy , grumpy and controlling, but she found herself liking him, she didn't really understand.

* * *

Mia looked at her sister, she had got a little sun today, her cheeks were red and she seemed almost lighthearted as she hugged Bailey. "I'm so happy for you."

Bailey grinned. "Scott is so happy, I think he wants a boy, even though he says he don't care."

Mia got up and fixed more coffee and handed Bailey bottled water. "No coffee for you."

Bailey made a face. "I know."

Scott, Kevin and Mark were in the living room having a beer, the girls could hear their laughter.

"So Me and Bailey came by today to see if you wanted to go shopping and you weren't there." Mia said.

Sammy looked at her sister. "I was ummm...I was fishing with Mark." She said quickly.

Bailey and Mia looked at her in surprise. "You fishing?" Mia asked knowing her sister wouldn't even kill a worm, much less a fish.

"Well I just watched, he fished." She explained hoping Mark said nothing about her dumping them over the side of the boat.

Mia smiled at Bailey. "Fishing with Mark, how did you end up doing that."

Sammy sipped the coffee. "Well, he told me I need to get out more."

Bailey nodded. "Well you do, he's right, that was sweet of him to ask."

Mia nodded trying to give Mark a little push. "Yeah Mark seems really nice."

Sammy looked up at the girls. "Well he didn't exactly ask, he said he wasn't taking no for a answer."

Bailey laughed and Mia just shook her head. "Sounds just like Kevin."

"And Scott." Bailey said.

Sammy shrugged. "Its okay, he's kind of grumpy, but he's nice to me, he made me dinner last night."

The two women looked at each other, looks like things were moving forward quite nicely.

* * *

Mark laughed at the story Scott was telling for the hundredth time, it was okay the guys liked hearing it over and over. "Scotty, heard you were expecting a little bundle of joy."

Scott grinned and Mark slapped him on the back. "Yeah bro, I am so happy, She's three months along."

Mark smiled, Scott looked so happy. "Congratulations man."

"Thanks, Kev wont be to far behind, he's working on it." Scott said.

Mark looked at his friend and Kevin grinned. "Yeah we want at least two more.

Mark sure didn't get it, but if thats what made his friends happy then he was happy for them.

"Mia said she was looking for Sammy today and that she wasn't at home." Kevin said leaning back in his recliner.

"I took her fishing." Mark said.

Scott flashed Kevin a grin. "Oh how was that?" Scott asked.

"Fine, just fine." He said lying through his teeth.

"Wow, can you be a little more specific." Kevin asked.

Mark rolled his eyes and rolled his shoulders back, both men knew he didn't want to talk about it. "We went to breakfast and went fishing."

Scott rolled his eyes, he knew they weren't getting any farther than that, Mark was done.

"Well I'm heading home." Mark got up and went to the kitchen door. " C'mon Sammy I'll walk you home, its dark out."

Kevin looked at Scott and grinned.

Sammy hopped up and hugged her sister. "Love ya sis."

Mia hugged Sammy. "Love you too."

"Bye Bailey."

Bailey waved, but she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "This is working a lot faster than I thought."

Mia nodded thoughtfully, she just hoped Mark didn't hurt her sister, if he did there would be hell to pay.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much for the reviews! You guys rock!  
**

* * *

Mark tried his best not to laugh. "Sammy what in the hell are you doing?"

Sammy spun around, he startled her, he used the connecting door most of the time and skipped knocking, it was hard to believe he had been here only a week, he seemed so big a part of her life "Umm I was trying to cook." She said her face flaming.

Mark walked in her kitchen and surveyed the mess, looked like she had burnt what was supposed to be pancakes, there was flour everywhere including all over her, there was grease spattered all over the stove and it looked like she had used every dish and pan in the house.

Mark just shook his head. "Well you said I need to eat real food." She said quietly her head cast down at the floor.

Mark lifted her chin. "Yeah I did didn't I, let me amend that, no more cooking without supervision"

Sammy sighed, she hated feeling like a dummy. "Don't look so sad, with a little practice , you'll get better."

Sammy shrugged and Mark took her hand and wet some paper towels and wiped off her face. "Well thats a little better, lets clean this mess up, and we'll go out to eat."

They worked together to clean the mess up, and it didn't take too long. Mark watched her, he liked the girl, she was a sweet little thing, he didn't mind watching after her for Kevin and Mia, he was starting to get used to having her around. "Alright, ready to go eat?"

Sammy shook her head. "I don't really feel like going out."

Mark put one big hand on her forehead. "You sick?" Sammy sat down. "No, just don't feel like going out."

Mark nodded and patted her hand. "You get some rest then, okay."

Sammy nodded and watched him leave, Mark seen her as a total screw up, she wished just once he would look at her like a woman, even though the thought sacred her.

She thought Mark was handsome, she knew she was attracted to him, it didn't scare her when he touched her, but the thought of sex was scary.

Kent taking that money from her parents had made her distrust all men, but when he had raped her, it just made her never want to be near a man again, it took a lot for her to trust Kent, after what happened when she was a kid, it had screwed her up, but she had fallen in love with Kent and thought she could put that behind her , then he had put the nail in the coffin, Sammy didn't think she would ever look at a man the same again.

Sammy got up and went down to the living room to do some work, there was no point being attracted to Mark, he seen her as a kid anyway, thats the way he treated her.

* * *

Mark walked through there connecting door, he knew he needed to stop, but she didn't complain, so he figured it was okay, he walked in to find her in the living room working. "Get off there. I got us some food." He said waving the bag around.

Sammy looked up and grinned. "Cheeseburgers, I smell them." She said hopping up and following him down the hall.

Mark laughed. "I take it you like junk food?" He asked as he set the bag on the table.

"Yep." She said and grabbed two glasses of tea and napkins.

They sat down and Mark smiled in approval as she tore into the cheeseburger and fries. "I'm going to play cards tonight, not with Scott and Kev, down at a bar, you want to come?"

Sammy wiped her mouth. "Well I would but..."

"But what?" Mark asked sitting his tea down.

"When my father filed that custody suit against Mia, I called him told him where I was so he would drop the suit, well I made a deal with him, don't say anything to Mia, she would flip. I have to go see him and Mother once a week, I agreed to it, I mean Kevin chased him off when he came over here, they don't know about it, Mia would just worry."

Mark frowned, Kevin had told him that Sammy and Mia's father was a prick, he tried to used Seth to get his way, and Kevin had told him, that he had been mean to the girls when they were kids, he didn't get into detail, but he knew from Mia, they had paid off Sammy's boy friend, to dump her. "They cant get their hands on Seth, Kevin will never let that happen, you don't have to keep any agreement." Mark said.

Sammy just looked down. "I agreed, because I was afraid they would get Seth, the thought of him being anywhere near my father, scared me to death and I did what I had to do, but I gave my word, so I cant go back on it now."

Mark got up. "I don't like this one bit Sammy.."

Sammy jumped up. "Please don't tell Mia or Kevin, it would just worry them,and I can handle my parents for a couple of hours a week."

Mark got up and threw the trash away. " I'm coming with you."

Sammy shook her head. "No, my father would get mad, you cant.."

Mark put his hands on her shoulder. "I'm going."

Sammy sighed. "Its just going to make things worse."

Mark gave her a look that said he wasn't backing down. "You go I go, Kev, would never forgive me, if I let you go to your fathers house alone."

Sammy got up. "Well I guess you're going then, but my father is a jerk, and he'll be rude, he's going to think we're dating or something and he's not going to like it."

Mark shrugged. "I don't care, he'll just have to suck it up."

Sammy knew things were going to get nasty. "Let's go then."

* * *

Mark looked at the huge estate. "You grow up here?"

"Yeah." Sammy said looking miserable. Mark didn't like the way she was looking, she looked like she wanted to puke. "You okay?"

Sammy nodded and got out of the car and trudged up the long driveway. She rang the doorbell and Mark was right behind her. The door opened and the young woman smiled. "Miss Belmont, come in."

"Its Black, not Belmont." she told the maid for the hundredth time.

The maid led them through the huge foyer into the den, Mark looked at the tall gray haired man, he had Sammy's eyes, except his was cold. "You're late young lady, and I see you're still attracted to rif raf."

"Father, This is Mark, he's a friend." She said sounding hopeless.

Her father gave her a disbelieving look. "Girl you never change."

"Where's mother?"

Her father laughed. "Passed out from her drink and pills, now when are you coming to work for the company?"

Sammy took a seat on the sofa and Mark sat down beside her glaring at Sammy's father."Never, that wasn't part of our deal."

Tyson sat down across from his daughter. "You have to take over when I'm gone."

"I don't want the company father, its not happening." She said stubbornly, Mark was surprised she seemed to be able to hold her on with the man.

"Samantha, you need to come home and take your place, I'll find you a descent husband, and then you can take your place in the company." Her father said.

Sammy wanted to scream, the man didn't listen to her . "Samantha I have the perfect man for you, Jefferson Reynolds."

Sammy's heart stopped, she couldn't believe her dad had just said that. She felt like she was smothering. "H H How cccan you even suggest that." She asked not believing her father was this big of a jerk.

Mark could see she was upset, she looked paler than she had before, sick. "You okay?"

She just stared at her father. Tyson rolled his eyes. "You're still on that, please, I would have thought that whipping you got would have pushed those lies you told out of you mouth, Jefferson will be a good husband, you need a strong hand."

Mark stood and took her arms. "C'mon we're leaving."

"Listen here, thats my daughter, she'll leave when I tell her too." Tyson said glaring at Mark.

Sammy had shut down, she couldn't deal with any of this. "Samantha sit down." He father boomed at her.

Mark kept his hand on her arms. "She's leaving."

Sammy stared at her dad. "He's old enough to be my father and he's a sick pervert, are you crazy?"

Tyson looked at his daughter. "Age doesn't matter, he has a fortune, you two have children and they will inherit from both of us, think of the wealth you and your children will have."

Sammy just couldn't believe the man, he was nuts. Sammy wasn't a aggressive person far from it, but she had enough. "If you ever bring that man around me, I'll kill him." She said quietly.

Mark had had more than enough of this prick, he tugged on her arm. 'Let's go."

Sammy nodded and followed Mark out with her father right behind them ranting and raving, Mark didn't know what was going on, but he sensed the deep disturbance in Sammy, she was too quite, too pale, her skin was cold to the touch.

Mark helped her in the truck and put the seatbelt on her, he got in the other side and started the truck and backed out of the long driveway. "You okay?"

Sammy just stared out of the window. "Now that I'm out of there I am."

Mark knew why the poor girl was as messed up as she was, her whacked out father probably made her that way.

The ride home was silent and when he got home and opened the door for her, she got out and looked up at him. "Thanks for going with me."

Mark pushed the short curls off her cheek. "Anytime Shorty." He teased her with the nickname he had been calling her for the last few days.

Mark was relieved when a small smile crossed her face. "I'm not short, you're just overgrown."

Mark put his arm around her smiling. "Yeah whatever, you get on in and relax, go to bed."

Sammy shook her head. "I'm going to work for a while, its helps me relax."

Mark rolled his eyes, but nodded. "I'll come by before I go to bed, okay?"

She nodded and Mark watched her walk in her door, she was really upset he sensed that, there was something bothering her besides the bad visit with her father, he just didn't know what it was.

He decided it was time for a visit with Mia and Kevin.

* * *

Mark sat across from Mia and Kevin and explained to them what had happened.

Mis jumped up."I cant believe she goes and visits that old bastard."

Kevin wasn't happy either. "Mia calm down, Seth is still up in there, watch the language ."

Mia flushed but sat back down."She said she agreed to it, so he would drop the custody suit, she also asked me not to tell you guys, but I knew you would want to know, just don't say anything to her, I just want you guys to know whats going on, if she insists on going out there, I'll go with her."

Kevin smiled, he had a feeling Mark liked the girl more than he would admit.

"Thanks Mark, did daddy really suggest she marry some old man, I guess thats why she was so upset." Mia asked.

Mark nodded. "Some guy name Jefferson, she freaked out really bad, I was worried."

Mia turned as pale as Sammy had. "Jefferson Reynolds?"

Mark nodded and Kevin was looking at Mia worried. "That bastard, I cant believe him." She said getting up.

Mark looked at Mia. "Who is that?"

Mia just shook her head. "I cant talk about this." She left the room and Mark looked at Kevin. "Whats going on?"

Kevin shook his head. "I'm not sure, but Sammy has a lot of pain in her past, things only she can tell you, okay, Mia is not going to talk about them.

Mark nodded and got up. "Don't say anything to Sammy, I just thought you guys would want to know whats going on."

Kevin got up and followed Mark to the door. "Thanks Mark, for keeping a eye on her."

Mark just nodded and left, something was going on with Sammy, he just wasn't exactly sure what.

* * *

Kevin put Seth to bed and went to find his wife, he found her in the bed crying. Kevin sighed, her crying always undid him, he wanted to make everything in her world right, he sat down and pulled her in his lap. "Stop crying Mia and talk to me."

Mia laid her head on Kevin's chest. "I just love my sister, and I'm tired of her hurting all the time, I wish I could take her pain away, but our dad keeps hurting her."

Kevin held his wife wishing there something he could do. "What set you off baby girl?" He asked placing a kiss on her forehead."My dad is a jerk, the guy he's trying to get her to marry is the guy that molested her, I just cant believe him."

Kevin shook his head, maybe him and Scott should go pay this jerk a visit, he knew the guys name now, he would keep it in mind, the guy might just be getting a very unfriendly visit. "Your dad is trash girl, I don't want you and Seth anywhere near him, for any reason, you understand?"

Mia nodded, its not like she wanted to go near him, she just hoped her sister would leave him alone, she should see after tonight what a jerk their dad was.

* * *

Mark looked at the time, it was after midnight, he was just sitting around watching TV. He got up and slid a pair of jeans on and opened the connecting door to Sammy's. He walked down to the living room, she was working as usual. "You okay."

Sammy nodded. "Yeah sure."

Mark sat down beside her and watched her, he frowned. "You must be really smart." He said as he watched her type in lines of number and letters.

Sammy shrugged. "At this yes, I pretty much cant do anything else."

Mark leaned back. "Thats not true, you just don't try anything else, you're too busy doing this all the time."

Sammy looked over at him. "Well I think I can safely say fishing is out."

Sammy saw the flash of annoyance on his face, she figured he was still sore about that. "Cant believe you dumped my fish back, I still owe you for that one."

Sammy looked down. "I'm sorry, I just don't like to see things killed, even if it is just a fish."

Mark sighed, she was a tender hearted little thing. "You should get to bed, its late."

Sammy looked back at her computer and started typing again, she didn't want to sleep. Mark didn't push the point, sometimes she agreed with him, sometimes she didn't.

Mark looked at her. "You know if you ever want to talk about anything, you can talk to me."

Sammy nodded. "Thanks Mark."

He nodded and got up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Sammy looked back at her computer screen, she wanted to cry and scream, she wanted to unleash all the anger she had at her dad, but she calmly put her fingers back the keyboard and began typing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Sammy got up and stretched, she walked in the bathroom and got in taking a shower. She sighed, she hadn't slept good last night, too many bad dreams.

She got dried off and wrapped the towel around her. Sammy walked in her bedroom and opened her drawer to get out a shirt and some shorts. "Sammy.."

Mark voice faltered and she whiled around clutching the towel to her tightly, her face went white with fear.

Mark swallowed hard, he really needed to start knocking. He couldn't help but look at her standing there wrapped in a skimpy towel, she might be skinny, but she was gorgeous, and beside two weeks of shoving food at her was working, she was starting to fill out very nicely. Then he frowned what the fuck was he doing. "For God's sake put some clothes on." He snapped.

Sammy wasn't one for saying anything back to him when he snapped, but it wasn't like she had ran outside naked, he walked in on her. "Well you're the one who just walked in my bedroom, I can wear a towel in my own bedroom."

Mark raised his brow at her and walked closer to her, he saw a quiver of fear in her eyes but she didn't back up, she stood her ground just looking up at him. "Gettin a little lip on ya there Shorty?" he growled at her.

Sammy just shrugged and lifted her chin. Mark lifted his hand to her damp curls fingering one as he looked down at her. "You dry that hair good, ya hear?"

Sammy just nodded, but she didn't back up any. Mark dropped the hair and turned sharply and walked out and Sammy let out a breath, what the hell had just happened, all she had wanted was for Mark to touch her, hold her, she must be losing her mind.

Mark sat in the living room of her house, fighting with a hard on from hell, what the fuck, he was so turned on, he wanted to rush back in the bed room, snatch that towel off her and shove junior deep in her.

Mark closed his eyes, he had to stop, he sat back, he was going out and finding some pussy tonight, it had been to long, he just needed a willing woman thats all.

Sammy came in and sat down beside him. "Morning."

Mark couldn't breath, she was to close and she smelled so good, like a spring morning, God where was this coming from. "Mornin, I got breakfast ready over at my place, you hungry?"

Sammy smiled at him. "Yep."

Mark got up. "Well get a move on then."

Sammy just grinned behind his back, she was used to his gruff ways, they didn't scare her anymore.

They had breakfast together, they usually did most mornings, Sammy got up and helped him clean up. "I'm going out tonight, if you need anything, call Kev, I'll be late getting in." He said.

Sammy nodded, she had to go see her dad anyway, it would work out better this way, Mark would just make her dad worse, she already told he dad, she was only going to stay a hour. She just hoped he didn't say anything else about that bastard Jefferson.

Sammy stopped by Mia's and got Seth and then down to Scott and Bailey's to get Emma and took them on a walk along the beach, she smiled, being with these two was therapeutic for her, she loved spending time with them. The kids laughed as they let the waves wash over there feet and ran in and out of the surf. Sammy sat down as they decided to play in the sand, they played with the buckets they had brought with them

She smiled as she watched them, she wished her and Mia's childhood could have been so peaceful. Sammy knew that Mia tried to act tough, but she was a lot more affected than she let own, he sister had a lot of pain in her too, but she was glad she had Kevin, she knew Kevin would heal whatever hurts that remained in her sister.

"GET OUT OF HERE YOU STUPID DUMMY!"

Sammy was pulled from her thoughts by Seth's screaming, she stood and saw him throwing seashells at a little girl further down the beach. "Seth stop that." She snapped.

Seth turned to look at his Aunt. "Aunt Sammy, she's mean, she messed up our sandcastle last week, she came up and kicked it over, we were playing near the house , but she ran off before Uncle Scott could get outside."

Sammy shook her head. "Still you shouldn't call names like that or throw things, you could really hurt her."

Emma stood. "She needs a bath, or her hair is really messed up, she's bad Aunt Sammy."

"Sammy bent down. "Look you guys don't know what kind of problems she has, next time you see her, trying being nice, okay?"

The two kids look skeptical, but promised they would, she gave them both a hug and a kiss. "thank you." She got up. "Now lets get back, I have some work to do."

She dropped Emma off and the walked Seth back up to Mia's.

Kevin was fixing dinner when she went in, she gave Seth a kiss and he ran off to play in his room. "How you been?"

Sammy leaned on the counter. "Good."

"You look like you're gaining weight." He said turning to face her.

"Mark's feeding me good." She said smiling.

Kevin smiled, he was happy with the way things were going between Sammy and Mark. "Want to stay for dinner, Mia should be back soon."

"No thanks, I have some work to do, but I'll stop in tomorrow."

Kevin watched her leave, she seemed more outgoing since she started hanging out with Mark, he just hoped Mark and her would get the hint soon, right now they seemed like friends.

* * *

Sammy got out of her car, she hated driving and had about ran off the road getting over here. She walked up to the front door and knocked the same maid opened the door and let her in showing her to the study.

Her father was there waiting. "Good to see you left that bum at home."

Sammy sat down and glared at her father. "He's a friend , okay?"

Her Father just shook his head. "I hope you're over this nonsense about Jefferson, he's a fine upstanding man."

Sammy bit her lip, Jamison fueled her nightmares, though it happened over twenty years ago, it still terrified her remembering. Though Jefferson wasn't as old as her father, he was old enough, the thought of him scent chills down her spine.

Sammy agreed to have dinner with her father, she followed him in the dining room and had to listen to him go on and on about her taking over the business someday.

When she heard someone else come in she looked up thinking that it was her mother. "Hello beautiful."

Sammy's face went white and she jumped up. "Shit down Samantha, right now." He father boomed, but Sammy was terrified, he hadn't changed a bit, if he had looked like a monster, maybe what he did to her wouldn't have shocked her so bad, but he was handsome, a good looking man, just one whose taste ran to young girls, Sammy was in a full panic, and she tripped backing up.

"Calm down Sammy, come here and say hello." Jefferson said walking closer, Sammy got up and ran as fast as she could down the hall and out the front door, slamming it behind her, she jumped in her car and put the key in starting it, she was shaking and she wasn't the best driver in the worlds anyway.

Sammy finally made it home and ran out of the car and in her house, she looked around in a panic, trying to think of where to hide, where he couldn't find her, she was totally lost in her childhood memories, in her head she was that twelve year old girl trying to hide.

Sammy's eyes lighted on the connecting door that Mark used all the time, she opened the door and ran into his place, running down the hall to his bedroom , she got between his bed and the wall and the tears finally came, shaking her body so hard that she flt like she had no control over it, at least here she was sure Jamison couldn't find her.

* * *

Mark came in late, he cursed as he locked his door. He never used to be this picky, but he just couldn't find a woman to suit him, he guessed he would try again tomorrow.

He walked down to his bedroom, and the fist thing he noticed was crying. "What the fuck."

He flipped on the lights and walked around the bed, then he seen her, Sammy was pressed between the bed and the wall crying. "Sammy what the hell is going on." He grabbed her arm and she screamed. "Hey now stop, its me Mark."

Sammy looked up and Mark was scared at what he saw, she looked like she had been crying for hours. Mark hauled her out of the space and in his arms. "Okay Shorty, its okay." He sat down and pulled her in his lap, pressing her face against his big shoulder. "Its okay, shhhh." He said as he rocked her in his arms.

Sammy finally felt safe and she buried her face in the crook of his neck as she cried, Mark just rubbed her back and rocked her till her tears slowed. Mark sat her up and lifted her chin. "Now why don't you tell me whats wrong." Mark asked in his usual no nonsense way.

"I cant." She said still sniffling .

Mark didn't like the answer, he tilted her chin higher and looked her in the eye. "Why not?"

"Cause you're going to be mad." She said trying to pull her chin free. Mark kept a firm grip, making her look at him. "I'm going to be mad anyway, if you don't start talking."

Sammy took a deep shuddering breath and Mark let her chin go, she lay her head against his chest. "I went to my father's."

She chased a peek and him, yeah he was mad, he had that look on his face. "What happened." His voice even sounded angry.

"Jefferson was there and I got scared and I left and came home, and I was scared he followed me, so I came to your place." She said not wanting to tell him anything else.

"Sammy why are you scared of Jefferson?" He asked, he could sense the fear in her and he lifted one big hand and rubbed her back. "Sammy, you need to talk to me, its fine, theres nothing you cant tell me"

Sammy closed her eyes, the only person she had ever talked to about this was her sister. Mark rubbed her back and just let her be for a few minutes, he wasn't stupid, he knew there was something in Sammy that cause her to fear men, but he couldn't force it out of her.

She started slowly. "Jeffersonhas been a business partner of daddy's for at least twenty-five years...He was always coming in to town on business to see daddy, he would stay at our house." She stopped and pressed her face into Mark chest, feeling safe. "I cantttt..."

Mark wrapped both arms around her. "Why?"

She closed her eyes and cuddled closer, she couldn't figure out why she trusted him, if she had been this close to any other man, she would have flipped out. "Because you'll be disgusted.." She couldn't finish and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Mark just held her tighter. "No I wont, Shorty we're friends, I feed you, I make sure you get sleep, right?"

She nodded and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "Okay then, you can trust me, talk to me." He said his big arms still wrapped tight around her.

"When I was twelve...h h he came in my room." She stopped and Mark cradled her head with his hand trying to comfort her. " He touched me, he made me do things..." She stopped and started crying again

Mark just held her while she cried, his anger, he contained, he didn't want to scare her. Mark let her cry herself out, then he sat her up. "I want you to go take a hot bath, do you want to stay here with me tonight?"

Sammy finally looked up at him, to see if he was looking at her like she was trash, but she saw nothing but his usual fondness in his eyes. Sammy nodded. "Shorty does your dad, know about this?"

Mark could already see the answer in her eyes. "I told him when it happened, he thought I was lying."

"Alright, I'm going to run you a hot bath, make you some tea, and then I want your butt in bed." He said and set her to her feet.

She watched him and he walked in his bathroom, she was so rung out she just wanted to lay down and sleep.

Mark came back in a few minutes later. "Go on." he said and steered her toward the bathroom.

Mark went down the kitchen and started some tea and picked up his cellphone and called Kevin and let him know what had happened.

Mark wasn't all that surprised that Kevin had already knew about what had happened to her, but when he found out what her father had pulled bringing that slime around Sammy , he was livid. "Look let Mia know whats going on tomorrow, I'm going to bring her over for a while."

He told Kevin goodnight and hung up. He went over to her bedroom and grabbed her some panties and a t-shirt and headed back to make her tea.

Mark was as angry as he had ever been, he wanted to go smash in this perverts face and her fathers. Mark took a deep breath and tried to control it, the last thing he wanted Sammy to think was he was that angry with her, he was pissed because she went to her father's especially without taking him.

Mark walked in and set the tea on the bedside table, he went to the bathroom door. "C'mon Shorty."

The door opened a minute later and she walked out looking exhausted. Mark took her hand and set her down on the side of the bed. "Drink this and lay down."

Sammy just nodded, tonight she didn't care if he bossed her around, not that it ever did her any good to care, Mark told her what to do and expected her to just fall in line.

He watched her drink the tea, then he took the empty cup. "Sammy look at me."

Sammy looked up at him, he was so tough, rough around the edges, grumpy most of the time, bossy and controlling, but Sammy couldn't think of anywhere she would rather be right now, than with him, at this moment, he was her life line.

Mark lifted his hand and smoothed back the damp hair off her cheek, his callused fingers felt good to her and she sighed. "Don't ever go near that man again, you don't have to subject yourself to him, forget any agreement you had with him, you understand me?"

Sammy nodded, she had no desire to see her father, he had ambushed her tonight.

Mark pushed her back gently on the bed and covered her up and then he turned off the light. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Sammy just nodded and Mark got up and walked in the bathroom, Sammy closed her eyes, lulled by the sound of the shower, her last thought before she feel asleep was of Mark.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks so much for the great reviews.**

* * *

Mark opened eyes , he smiled at the sight of Sammy curled up to his side like a kitten, he had almost forgotten what it was like to wake up with a soft, good smelling woman beside you, he realized he missed it, the last few years had been filled with one night stands, hit it and run. Mark turned to his side and watched her, she instinctively moved closer pressing her face to his chest. Mark lifted his hand and rubbed her head fondly, against all odds, he liked the girl, he watched her yawn and open her eyes.

If she had any fear waking up in bed with him, he didn't see it, instead she cuddled closer and closed her eyes again. "No way Shorty, I'm awake so you are too, get your butt up."

Sammy opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Why do I have to get up?"

Mark sat up . "Because I said so, c'mon we'll start breakfast."

Sammy nodded and hopped out of bed, Mark had taken to letting her help cook, and she was actually getting better. They made their way down to the kitchen and Mark grabbed eggs and sausage from the fridge. "You start on this." He said handing her the sausage, I'll make waffles."

Sammy nodded and got busy cooking sausage, Mark watched her as he mixed up the waffle mix, she was improving, she hadn't burned anything in two days, he thought smiling.

* * *

Kevin crossed his arms and looked at his wife. "You're not going anywhere."

Mia was beyond mad. "Oh Yes I am, I'm going to give that rat bastard a piece of my mind, then I'm going to track down that pervert and cut his nuts off." She said tried to storm past Kevin.

Kevin sighed and wrapped his arms around her lifting her in front of him. " You're not going anywhere near either one of them, Mark, Scott and I will deal with this."

Mia tried to get loose, but there was little point, Kevin was just too strong. "Kevin let me go."

Kevin sat her in a kitchen chair and looked at her. "Mia, your sister needs you, now settle down, I mean it."

Mia frowned and crossed her arms. Kevin bent down in front of her. "Stop pouting, I don't want you near your father, that clear?"

Mia nodded but didn't say anything Kevin leaned forward kissing her gently and she had no will to resist him, he pulled back smiling. "Mark is going to bring her over after while, he said she was fine, now stop worrying."

Mia nodded and hugged him, she was just worried about Sammy, she was beginning to really hate her dad.

* * *

Mark sat down with Sammy after breakfast. " I want you to go stay with Mia today, I have some things to do, I don't want you here alone, I called Kevin and let him know what happened."

Sammy sighed. "I don't want sis to worry."

Mark took her hand and patted it. "She worries regardless, now c'mon, you stay there till I pick you up."

"I really should work." She said.

Mark got up. "If you feel like you have to work, get your laptop." he said letting her know that was end of the discussion.

Sammy sighed, he sure was bossy, but she found she wasn't all that bothered by the fact.

* * *

Mia grabbed her sister and hugged her. "You okay?'

Sammy nodded. "Don't worry sis, I'm fine, I promise."

Bailey and Emma were there too, Scott , Kevin and Mark were holed up in the kitchen with the door shut.

Emma and Seth ran over giving her a hug. "You want to play with us."

She nodded and followed the kids over to their video game and sat down with them.

Bailey looked at Mia. "Do you think she's really okay?"

Mia looked at her sister. "With her its hard to tell, she don't show what she's feeling, she buries everything."

Kevin, Scott and Mark came out of the kitchen. "We're going out, you girls sit tight." Kevin said.

Scott kissed his wife. "We wont be long." Bailey nodded. Kevin pulled Mia in his arms and hugged her tight. "Stay here."

Mia nodded. "I will, but what are you guys up to?"

"Not anything for you to worry about." Kevin said .

Mia frowned but didn't comment.

Emma and Seth looked over at Mark, he was watching Aunt Sammy. "C'mere Uncle Mark." Emma called grinning. Mark sighed and walked over. Emma and Seth were good kids, but he just wasn't a kid person. He bent down beside Emma, he looked at Sammy who was sitting between Emma and Seth. "Yeah?"

Emma gave him her cutest smile. "I want a kiss and hug bye."

Mark figured he might as well give up, these kids were not going to let him alone. Mark pulled the little girl in his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Emma smiled. "Thank you, but you better give Seth a hug , or he'll feel bad."

Seth grinned and got up and hugged Mark. Mark gave him a quick hug and was about to get up, but Emma stopped him. "What about Aunt Sammy?"

Mark looked at the little girl, she really reminded him of Scott sometimes, Mark wasn't big on public displays of any kind, but he decided to humor the kid. Mark wrapped his arms around Sammy. "You stay put till I get back."

Sammy nodded."I will." She said returning the hug.

Across the room Mia couldn't believe it, Sammy freaked if a guy touched her, but it was obvious that she didn't mind Mark touching her.

Mark let go and was about to get up. Emma tapped his shoulder. Mark looked at the pretty little girl. "Yes?"

"Uncle Mark you have to give her a kiss." Emma said her green eyes sparkling.

Kevin, Scott , Bailey and Mia, were having a hard time trying not to laugh, Emma really needed to learn a bit more about being subtle.

Mark gave the little girl a look. "You are just like your daddy, sneaky."

Emma just grinned and looked up at her daddy who winked at her. Mark bent and pressed a kiss to Sammy's forehead, causing her to blush.

Mark just shook his head and got up. "Let's go." He growled at his friends, who were trying their best not to laugh at him.

Emma leaned over to Seth. "Wasn't a very good kiss, I guess he needs practice."

Seth nodded. "Yeah, maybe Papa and Uncle Scott can give him some lessons."

No one was able to contain their laughter not even Sammy, Mark just frowned and walked out the door followed by his two laughing friends.

* * *

Scott stopped at the police station to talk to one of his friends, he wanted to find out any information he could about this Jefferson Reynolds.

Kevin and Mark waited outside for him and he came out about a half hour later. "He's been in trouble a couple of times for picking up underage girls, never convicted of anything though, and I got his address."

Kevin nodded, he wanted a piece of that jerk. "I get him, you and Mark go have a talk with daddy."

Mark shook his head. "I want to take that pervert out."

Scott looked at the two big men. "Kevin maybe you should deal with your father in law."

Kevin nodded reluctantly. "Okay, but give him a couple of shots for me."

Mark rubbed his big fist. "Don't worry bro, he's going to get whats coming to him."

* * *

Mia , Bailey and Sammy sat at the table drinking coffee. "So what do you think the guys are up to ." Sammy asked.

Bailey set her cup down. "Truthfully, there probably kicking that guys ass as we speak."

Mia nodded. "Yeah and I hope they break him in half.

Sammy jumped up. "What if Mark gets hurt?"

Mia laughed. "Who the heck is going to be able to hurt Mark, calm down."

Sammy sat down, but she was still worried. "I just don't want anything to happen to him."

Bailey smiled. "So whats up between you and Mark?"

Sammy looked confused for a moment and then blushed. "Its not like that, he's my friend and well...he takes care of me, thats all."

Mia looked at the blush on her sister's face. "And how do you feel about him?"

Sammy played with the handle on her coffee cup. "He's my friend, besides he don't look at me like a woman, I told you he acts like my daddy or something, thats it."

Mia grinned. "Hell sometimes I call Kevin daddy, that don't mean I think he's my daddy, the man makes me hot, c'mon, are you attracted to him?"

Sammy blushed. "He;s handsome, I mean he's very ...sexy, but theres nothing there, really."

Bailey and Mia weren't buying it, she was red as a tomato, she was in denial, both women let it drop, there was more there than friendship going on, but maybe her and Mark didn't realize it yet.

* * *

Mark walked up to the big house, he was so mad, he felt like he could kill this guy. He knocked on the door and waited.

Mark looked at the guy who opened the door, he was in his fifties, with graying hair. "Jefferson?"

"Yes..who are you?" the man asked.

"Your worst nightmare." Mark said grabbing his neck and pulling him in the house and slamming the door. "You like screwing around with little girls you sick fuck?" Mark asked, his thought on Sammy crying in his arms last night.

Jefferson panicked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mark's big fist slammed in his face. "Fucking liar." Mark punched him in the face again and let him fall.

Mark pulled back his big foot and kicked him hard in the gut, Jefferson coughed and sputtered. Mark pulled him up again. "Its going to be a long ten minutes for you, you better never touch a child again, cause I'll find out and then I'm going to come back and kill you."

Mark brought his knee up in the man's balls and laughed when Jefferson screamed.

* * *

Scott and Kevin stood in Tyson's den as the man poured himself a drink. "What do I owe this pleasure to, my daughter driving you crazy already." He asked his son in law.

Kevin wanted to punch the man in the face. "No, I just want to let you know, if you come anywhere near, my wife, my son or Sammy, I'll stomp a mud hole in your ass."

Tyson just shook his head. "Mia always did love you low class types, very colorful, but Sammy is my business, I have no interest in your wife or son, I tried my best to whip that girl into shape and it didn't help at all."

Kevin moved so quickly Tyson didn't have time to move. He grabbed the older man and punched him in the mouth, letting the man fall to the floor. "You bastard, you're no better than that bastard that molested Sammy, you abused both those girls, just in a different way, I mean it asshole, leave Sammy alone."

"I'm calling the police!" Tyson yelled.

Scott smirked. "Go ahead, I'm sure they would love to hear how you do business with child molesters, listen buddy, I got lots of friends down at the prescient , and I can make things real hard on you, all you have to do, is stay away from Sammy, now if we have to tell you again, we'll be talking with our fists."

Tyson just lay there for the first time looking scared. Scott looked at Kevin ."Lets go."

Kevin nodded and shot one last glare at Tyson, he wanted to rip the man from limb to limb, but he let it go for now, he just better stay away from his family.

* * *

Mark leaned down over the bleeding and battered man. "Next time, I have a few friends that wouldn't mind using you like the little bitch you are, I hope you believe me, maybe thats what you need, to be used the way you used those young girls.

Mark got up and walked out of the house shutting the door, he walked out to his truck and got in, damn but that had felt good, every time, he thought about Sammy crying over what that pervert had done to her, it made his blood boil.

Mark knew he couldn't change what had happened to her, but beating the crap out of that pervert had gave him a lot of satisfaction, but Mark knew that was for him, his anger, Sammy needed healing of her own, she had a lot of pain locked up inside her, she had talked to him last night, with a lot of urging, maybe he could get her to open up, it would be good for her to get it off her chest.

The guys met up at the local bar and had a few beers. "So you beat his ass good?" Kevin asked.

Mark gave a deadly grin. "Yep, felt good too."

"Yeah I punched that bastard father of theirs in the face too, I think he got his jollys beating the hell out of those girls, sick bastard."

Mark frowned. "What the hell you talking about?"

Scott looked at Kevin, seems he didn't share that bit of information with Mark.

Kevin sat his beer down. "Their old man beat the hell out them for any reason, real piece of work, Mia don't like to talk about it, but from what she has said it was pretty bad, and when Sammy told him about Jefferson touching her, he beat her for lying."

Mark big hands clenched into fists. "If I ever see that fucker again, he's going to get a beating." Mark growled.

Both men knew he was dead serious , Kevin gave his friend a curious look. "You're awfully concerned about Sammy."

Mark downed the rest of his beer. "She's my friend."

Scott gave Kevin a look, Mark sounded awfully sure of what he and Sammy were to each other, he just wondered if Mark was hiding his real feelings.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much for all the great reviews!**

* * *

The guys walked in Kevin's house to be greeted by Mia and Bailey, each women giving their husbands a kiss.

Mark looked around. "Wheres Sammy?"

Mia looked at Mark . "She went home." Mark's face got tight with anger, he was used to people doing what he said ,Mia got a worried look on her face., she looked at Scott and Kevin who look unconcerned.

Mark said goodnight to everyone and left. Mia looked at Kevin. "He better not upset her."

Kevin sat down. "Mark's not going to hang her, calm down, she should have stayed here like he told her, what if that freak had followed her home or something?"

"You know, you guys are way too bossy." Mia said rolling her eyes.

Scott grinned and pulled Bailey in his arms. "And you girls didn't know that before you married us?"

Mia smiled. "Yeah I guess you got me there." Kevin pulled his wife down in his lap. "Baby girl, Mark was just worried, he was trying to protect her, stop fretting, I know Mark, he wouldn't hurt her, take my word for it."

* * *

Mark went straight to Sammy's front door and banged on it. Sammy answered the door. "Hey Mark."

Mark brushed by her and Sammy shut the door, he looked mad. Mark turned around to face her. "I told you to stay at Mia's."

Sammy looked at him nervously. "I needed to work."

Mark paced back and forth. "I told you to take your laptop."

Sammy had no answer for that. Mark stopped in front of her looking his usual fierce self. "I was worried that idiot followed you, knew where you lived, when I tell you something, you need to listen."

Sammy wasn't sure how to take him sometimes, she really liked Mark, but she wished sometimes he would treat her like a woman instead of a kid, even though there was a certain amount of security she felt at his over protectiveness.

Mark lifted her chin. "I need you to listen to me, okay?" He asked not unkindly and Sammy could see the anger was gone from his eyes.

Mark couldn't stay mad at her, something about the sweet look in her eyes and the way she ducked her head when he was upset with her, she was adorable.

Sammy smiled. "okay."

Mark nodded. "You hungry?"

"I guess I could eat." she said.

Mark nodded. "I'll go fix us up something, you go on back to work, I'll call you when its ready."

Sammy stopped him with one hand on his arm. When he turned around she hugged him. "Thank you."

Mark was taken by surprise, but he hugged her. "Go on get, dinner, will be ready in a little while."

Sammy let go and went and got back on her laptop.

After they had dinner, Sammy helped Mark clean up and they said goodnight, Sammy went back to her place and got ready for bed, showering and putting on a long t-shirt to sleep in.

She got in bed and ended up tossing and turning because all she could think about was how good it had felt sleeping with Mark last night, she felt so warm and safe snuggled up with him, she still didn't understand why she wasn't scared of him, but she wasn't and she found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

She hadn't even thought about sex since Kent, and then when he had raped her, she wiped out all such feelings, she hadn't been with a man in ten years, she didn't know why now it was becoming a issue.

She tried her best to sleep, but sleep was elusive, she decided to go and sit on the back deck and listen to the ocean , hoping it would make her sleepy. Sammy grabbed a glass of milk and went outside leaving the door open, she curled up on one of the lounge chairs and leaned back, the sounds of the waves relaxing her.

She looked up at Mark's side of the house and noted all the lights were off, he must be sound asleep.

Sammy heard a crash from the trashcans sitting below the deck and jumped.

She was scared, but it sounded like someone was going through the trash cans. She went quietly back in the house and set the empty glass down and grabbed a flashlight, she figured maybe it was a hungry dog or cat.

She walked back outside and made her way down the stairs, she turned on the flashlight and pointed it toward the trashcans and was shocked by what she saw. It was a child from the looks , a young child.

The kid tried to run, but Sammy was quicker and threw both arms around the child and even with kid kicking and squirming managed to get the thin kid, up the stairs and into her house. Sammy turned on the lights and was shocked by the child's appearance, it was a she, and she was filthy, layers of dirt on the kid, her hair matted and tangled, the child was painfully thin and small, she looked like a wild animal and then it clicked this must be the girl that Seth was complaining about. "I'm not going to hurt you, are you hungry?"

The child said nothing, but started backing up. "Look, I can feed you, but if you try to run off I'll call the police, you cant be on your on, so its here or the police." She said firmly.

The girl looked about her as if looking for a answer and then sat down. Sammy grabbed the milk, bread , peanut butter and some oranges. She poured milk and made the girl two sandwiches.

The girl grabbed the food and ate like a animal while never taking her eyes off Sammy. "Whats your name?"

The girl said nothing. Sammy smiled. "I cant just call you hey kid, whats your name?"

"Toby." The girl said with a mouthful of food.

"Toby?" Sammy asked wondering at the name.

"What my Ma named me." She said shrugging.

""Where is your mother?" The little Girl gulped down the rest of the milk. "She got tired of me, she left me at the beach."

Sammy was horrified and it must have showed on her face. "I don't care, I do fine by myself."

Sammy didn't agree. "How old are you?"

"Six." The kid once again shocked her, she was small and looked younger.

"Okay lets get some sleep." Sammy said getting up.

"I sleep on the beach." Toby said getting up.

Sammy shook her head. "Not anymore you don't, it dangerous."

Toby stomped her feet. "I'm leaving."

Sammy crossed her arms, no way was she letting this child go off by herself. "I'll call the police, I'm sorry but you're just a little girl."

The kid pouted, but she followed Sammy to get blankets and a pillow, Sammy took her filthy shoes off and made her lay down. Sammy covered her up. "Goodnight Toby."

"Night." The girl said and yawned, she looked exhausted.

Sammy sat down in one of the chairs and laid her head back, she was afraid if she went to her bedroom the girl would try to sneak off.

Soon they were both sound asleep.

* * *

Sammy awoke to hear Mark yelling, she sat straight up, Mark burst through the connecting door carrying Toby under one arm and his wallet in the other. "You know anything about this?" He boomed at her.

Sammy rubbed her eyes. "I found her eating out of the trash last night, she was abandoned, I was trying to help her."

Mark frowned, "Well your little friend is a thief. I caught her going through my wallet."

Toby took that moment to sink her teeth in Mark's hand, but to his credit, he didn't drop her, her grabbed her with his other hand and carried her into the living room.

Sammy was scared at how angry he looked. "Mark..." But a look from him shut her up, his hand was already dripping blood, which he impatiently wiped on his jeans.

Mark sat done and dragged the kicking girl over his lap and started swatting her butt. "Don't you ever bite me again, do you understand?" Each word accompanying a sharp swat to the seat of her jeans. By that time the girl was kicking her legs and cursing like a sailor, which didn't make Mark any happier.

Mark brought his hand down again. "No cursing, no stealing." Four more swats had her mouth closed and Mark sat her to her feet.

Sammy felt bad for the girl, but biting someone like Mark was never a good idea. Tears streaked the girls face. "Now sit your butt down right there." He said pointing at a spot on the couch.

Toby sat down making a great great show of how painful it was. Sammy had to hide her smile, she knew Mark hadn't even hit her that hard. "You move one inch, and you be getting acquainted with my hand again."

Toby stopped squirming immediately and sat still.

Mark motioned Sammy into the hallway. "Get on the phone and call the police, they'll come take her to dds."

Sammy for once stood up to him. "No."

Mark sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why not for God's sake?"

Sammy looked up at him. "Mark she needs somebody, her mother dumped her off on the beach because she didn't want her, how do you think that makes her feel?"

Mark just shook his head. "Okay and how the hell you going to take care of a kid, you cant even take care of yourself." He snapped.

When he seen the tears fill her eyes he wanted to bite his own tongue out. "Sammy I'm sorry, but its true.." He trailed off when she swiped at the tears.

"Dammit." He paced back and forth for ten minutes while Sammy watched him tearfully. "Let me call Scott, he's got some connections at the police department, we have to let the authority's know whats going on. But I think he can take care of any paper work, so she can stay here with you , for the time being, just temporary, but listen to me, if she becomes a pain in my ass, she goes, got it?"

Sammy smiled and threw her arms around him hugging him tight. "Thank you Mark."

Mark sighed and pulled her sweet smelling body closer to him, he kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to call Scott, you get her a bath, she looks disgusting."

"I heard that asshole." Toby yelled.

Mark let go of Sammy and stomped in the living room and lifted the kid, swatting her on the butt. "Want more?"

Toby shook her head and Mark put her back on the couch. "Then quit cursing."

Mark walked through the connecting door muttering to himself. Toby looked up at Sammy. "He's mean." She said poking her bottom lip out.

Sammy smiled. "No he's not mean, he's wonderful, you just have to get to know him like I do,"

Toby gave her a look that said she didn't believe a word of what Sammy had just said.

Scott told Bailey and Mia what was going on, and he headed down to the police station to make sure the kid wasn't on a missing child report somewhere.

Mia called and talked to Sammy to see if she needed help, but Sammy told her Toby was a little overwhelmed as soon as they had everything settled, she would bring the girl over and introduce her.

Sammy had also realized she had to get the child in school.

"Why haven't you put her in a bath?" Mark asked when he came back over to find the kid watching TV.

Sammy looked up at Mark. "I'll do that now."

She didn't want to tell Mark that Toby had thrown a world class fit when she suggested a bath. "C'mon Toby honey, you need a bath."

"No, I don't want too." She said throwing herself back on the couch. Mark was already ill about his bandaged hand. "Well lets see if I can motivate you." He said, as soon as he took one step Toby jumped up and ran over to Sammy. "I'll take a bath."

Sammy looked at Mark. "I think you're scaring her."

"Good, she needs to be scared if she acts like a brat." He said headed to the kitchen, he knew Sammy hadn't ate today, she must be starving.

Sammy ran the bath full and put bubble bath in, she helped the girl undress and got down beside the tub scrubbing the girl from head to toe, Mark was right , she was filthy. Toby grumbled the whole time, but she cooperated. "We have to go shopping for some clothes tomorrow."

Toby looked at her. "You gonna let me stay here?"

"Yes, Mark is trying it fix it so you can." She said

Toby looked down, this lady would just get tired of her the way her Ma had.

The water was almost black and Sammy rinsed the girl under the shower and then pulled her out drying her off.

Sammy wrapped the towel around her, she got one of her t-shirts and put it on the girl. "I'll wash your clothes and dry them honey, okay?"

Toby nodded and followed Sammy down the hall to the laundry room and watched her. Sammy got the clothes started and went down to the bathroom to grab a brush and headed down to the kitchen, whatever he was cooking smelled good.

"Toby let me brush your hair." Sammy said sitting down to watch Mark cook.

"No." the little girl said backing up.

"I'll be glad to do it." Mark growled. Toby moved over to Sammy and Sammy pulled her in her lap. "I'll be careful, honey, you have a lot of tangles, I'll try not to hurt you."

The little girl nodded and let Sammy work on her hair. "Mark I need to run down to the mall and get her some clothes, can you stay with her?"

Mark nodded. "I have to wait for Scott anyway." Toby shook her head. "I don't wanna stay with him."

Sammy laid the brush down and turned the girl around in her lap. "I cant take you out in just a t-shirt, I wont be gone long I promise."

Toby didn't answer, but she didn't like the big man, she knew if she did anything, he would whack her butt again. "He's mean."

Mark turned to stare at the kid. "Hey I didn't bite you, you bit me."

Toby glared at him.

Mark pulled the pots off the burner. "Okay let's eat and then you can go get her some clothes."

Toby just stared at the big man, he didn't like her, she knew he didn't, maybe she could get away from him, while Sammy was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks so much for the awesome reviews!**

* * *

Mark washed up the dishes and put them in the drain, he could tell Sammy didn't want to drive, but he knew the more she had to do it, the more confident she would get at it.

He heard the kid moving behind him. "I told you not to move, back in the chair."

Mark heard the kid sigh and climb back in the chair. Mark finished up and turned around. "In the living room."

Toby got up and followed him to the living room, Mark sat down and turned on espn. Toby flopped on the couch. "I wanna watch Cartoons."

"No, now hush." Toby crossed her arms but didn't say anything. There was a knock at the door and Mark got up and answered it, it was Scott with a couple of policemen. Toby started screaming and tried to run past them. Mark grabbed her. "Hush girl."

"Don't let the cops take me." She yelled kicking and screaming. Mark backed up and urged the men to come in, Toby still kicking and screaming. "I said be quite!" Mark boomed at the kid.

Scott shook his head. "Hey Mark chill with her, she's just a kid." Scott reached over and plucked the girl of of Mark's hands.

Mark rolled his eyes. "I explained to them whats going on, why don't you take them in the kitchen and tel them what you know, till I calm her down." Scott said.

Mark nodded and he took the policemen to the kitchen. "Calm down little girl, the police ain't taking you anywhere, you'll be staying with Sammy for a while."

Toby shut her mouth and looked at Scott. "Who are you?"

"Scott a friend of Sammy's and Mark's" Scott sat down and put the girl on his lap.

"Whats your name?" He asked.

"Toby." She said.

"Well Toby, calm down the police just want to ask you some questions thats it." Scott said.

Toby was sacred, she didn't want to go with the police. "Like what?"

"Like what is your full name, where are you from, questions about you mommy and daddy." Scott said pushing her long dark hair out of her face. "Toby Raylene Johnson."

Scott smiled. "Thats a pretty name sweetheart, wheres your mommy and daddy?"

The little girl looked down. "Mommy dumped me at the beach, she don't have no money to take care of me, I don't have no daddy."

Scott patted her back, trying to keep her calm and talking. "Do you know where you're from, here in Tampa?"

Toby looked up at him. "I'm not sure, we been here a long time, we used to live in a motel and ma got kicked out."

Scott smiled at her. "You're doing a great job" Toby finally smiled at him. "You know what, I can tell the police what you said, you don't have to talk to them, they're going to want to take one picture before they leave, just in case someone's looking for you, Okay?"

Toby nodded, she liked the big man, he was nice and he didn't yell. "Okay."

Scott picked her up and sat her on the couch and he turned on the Disney channel for her. "Now sit tight, be a good girl and tomorrow, I'll take you out for ice cream with my daughter and me."

Toby's eyes got wide and she nodded. "Okay, I'll be good."

Scott winked at her and walked in the kitchen and sat down, he informed the two friends of his what Toby had said. "Have your friend Sammy come in tomorrow and fill out the needed paperwork to be a foster parent, but thats just a formality, she can stay here for now."

Scott thanked them and called Toby in so they could take a picture of her. That done Scott sent her back to watch TV and turned to his friend, who looked very unhappy. "Mark, she's a scared little girl, try being nice to her."

"Scott the little brat bit me and she was trying to steal money from my wallet." Mark snapped.

Scott sighed. "Mark, she's scared, she was dumped off by herself by her mother, she's been living out of garbage cans, Jesus."

Mark sighed. "Okay, I'll try and be nicer, as long as she's respectful." He conceded.

Scott knew that was the best he was going to get. Mark wasn't warm and cuddly and looked like nothing was going to change that.

Sammy walked in to find Toby on the couch. "Hey honey."

She jumped up and ran over to Sammy." I made a new friend, his name is Scott, but he said I could call him Uncle Scott and he's gonna take me for ice cream tomorrow, he promised."

Sammy smiled. "Thats good, Toby, now lets get you dressed, wheres Mark?"

He's in the kitchen making coffee." The girl said.

Sammy took the girl to her bedroom and pulled out the ton of clothes she had bought for her. Toby looked at the pile of short, jeans, shirts and shoes. "All that for me?"

"Yeah, now pick out one and get dressed, then we'll put the rest in the spare bedroom, okay?"

The little girl nodded and grabbed some underwear, she picked out a pink camo short set and got dressed, Sammy took the rest of the clothes to the spare room and Toby helped her put everything in drawers. Sammy brushed her hair and put it in two braids. "Okay all done, you look good."

Toby smiled and skipped off down the hallway and flopped in front of the TV.

Sammy went to the kitchen and smiled at Mark. "Hi"

Mark nodded and handed her a coffee." You have to go tomorrow to fill out some paperwork at the police station, I'll go with you, Scott said Toby could stay with him."

She nodded and watched him. "She give you much trouble?"

Mark just shook his head. "I really hope you know what you're in for Sammy, a kid is a lot of work."

Sammy nodded. "I know, its just temporary, until they can find her a good home with a mom and a dad, I don't want her sitting in some juvenile center, because they cant find her a home."

Mark nodded. "Okay, I'll lend you a hand all I can, though I doubt she'll like that much, you need to get her in school after you get that paperwork taken care of."

"I will." She impulsively set her cup down and hugged him. "Thanks for being so sweet to me."

Mark didn't know what the hell came over him, he would think about it all night and try to figure it out, maybe it was the sweet way she smelled, or the sweet smile on her face, maybe he was just crazy.

Mark slid his knuckles under her chin, tilting her head up and his face lowered and before he knew what had happened his lips were on hers.

Sammy rose on her tiptoes, the kiss was sweet, his lips were warm and firm and there was nothing threatening about the sweet kiss.

Mark tilted his head and used one big hand to cup the back of her head, holding her just so, his mouth slanting over hers so he could really taste her, his tongue nudging at her lips, running along the seam of her lips. Sammy felt dizzy, her hands gripped his shoulders just hanging on. Her lips parted on a sigh and she moaned when his tongue touched hers.

Then it was over Mark pulled back and looked down at her, she was so pretty, her cheeks were pink and her chest heaving trying to breathe. Sammy slowly let go of him and blushed. Mark just lifted his hand tracing one big finger down her heated cheek. "I didn't scare ya did I?"

Sammy shook her head ."No."

Mark bent and kissed her forehead. "Good, I have to go."

Sammy just stood and watched him leave, he left her yearning for more, she wanted more of his sweet kisses, she sighed, she had no clue what had just happened.

* * *

Mia came over that evening with Seth and Kevin in tow. Toby was in her makeshift room, reading one of the several books that Sammy had got for her.

Mai sat down beside her sister on the couch. "Sammy do you think you need this right now? I mean having a kid around is a lot of work?"

Sammy nodded. "I know, its just temporary."

Kevin sat and gave Mia a look, he thought it was great she needed to focus on something besides working.

Seth jumped on his Aunts lap. "You gonna be a mommy now?"

Sammy smiled and hugged her nephew. "No, just helping a little girl out till she finds a family."

Toby walked in the living room and she seen Seth and glared, Seth just stared for a moment and then jumped off his Aunts lap. "Its you, you jerk." He yelled.

The little girl just stuck her tongue out at Seth. "Dummy."

"Seth, stop it." Kevin said getting up.

"Papa she's the one that messed up me and Emma's sandcastle." Seth said.

"I don't care what she did, stop name calling." Kevin said sternly. "Toby get over here and apologize for calling Seth a dummy." Sammy said.

Toby shook her head. "He started it!" She shouted. Mark stuck his head in the door when he heard the shouting.

Seth stuck his tongue out. "You dummy, you're ugly!"

Toby stalked closer. "You're ugly shit head!"

Sammy got up. "Toby come here, right now."

"NO!" She shouted and started to run, but Mark grabbed her. "Little brat, you do what you're told."

"Let me go!" She shouted and started kicking and screaming, even Seth shut up to watch her fit. Mark carried her screaming down the hall and Sammy sighed. "She's got a temper."

Kevin laughed. "So does Mark."

Mia looked at her son. "Seth that was uncalled for, you'll apologize to her first thing tomorrow."

"But why.." He started but Kevin cut him off. "Because you'll do the right thing, that why, we don't put up with name calling, you know that."

Seth nodded. "Yes sir."

Kevin picked his son up. "We'll see you tomorrow Sammy, you need anything, call us."

Sammy hugged her sister, kissed Seth and hugged her brother in law. "Thanks."

Kevin smiled. "No problem."

When they left Sammy walked down to the spare bedroom to find Toby standing in the corner and Mark sitting on the bed with his arms crossed looking none to happy. He looked at Sammy. "Don't worry, I didn't spank her."

Sammy knew Mark wouldn't hurt the girl, Mark was just the type that wasn't going to cut the girl any slack as long as she acted up. Mark's eyes softened as he seen the tender look on her face, Sammy was to kind hearted for her own good.

"Why don't you go cut us all a piece of that cake I got, make some coffee, we'll be along, okay?" Mark said.

Sammy nodded, but Mark reached out and snagged her hand and pulled her closer he tugged her down and pressed his lips to hers for a moment, her heart skipped a beat and she pressed her lips back to his.

Mark moved back and smiled. "Go on now." He urged. Sammy smiled at him and turned and left. "Toby c'mere."

Toby shuffled over like she was heading to face a firing squad. Mark pulled the girl to stand in front of him and he lifted her chin forcing her to look at him. "I don't deal well with bratty behavior, as long as you do what you're told, act respectful, especially to Sammy, she's trying to help you, No cursing, do you understand?"

Toby nodded. "I hope so, when Sammy tells you to do something, you do it, anymore cursing, and you going get acquainted with my hand again"

Mark wasn't mean, but he had been raised a certain way and he didn't believe in mouthy kids, he wasn't going to put up with it. "Now go get you a snack, Sammy's in the kitchen, when you're done get your tail in bed."

"But its only seven thirty..." Toby started.

"And you're going to bed early, because you cursed and acted like a brat, end of discussion." Mark said and got up.

Toby ran from the room and down to the kitchen, Sammy turned and pulled the girl into a warm hug."You okay?"

Toby nodded. "Mark said I could have a snack."

Sammy nodded. "How about a piece of chocolate cake and milk?"

Toby nodded and sat down. "Thank you."

Sammy bent and kissed the little girl on top of the head, she just wanted the little girl to feel cared for while she was here.

Toby smiled up at Sammy she was nice, she liked staying here, even Mark didn't seem so scary , she would just have to be good around him.

Mark came in and sat down and Sammy handed him coffee and set a piece of cake in front of him. "Thanks Shorty." He said and winked at her. Sammy smiled and sat down herself sipping black coffee.

"I'll drop Toby off at Scott's before we leave tomorrow, she has to stop by Kevin's and apologize to Seth,"

Toby looked up about to argue, but one look from Mark, her mouth closed, Sammy nodded.

She couldn't get the kiss out of her mind, she had never felt anything like the kiss Mark had gave her, there was no fear of him, she wanted to climb in his lap and beg him to kiss her like that again.

Mark looked over at Toby. "Put your plate in the sink and go get dressed for bed."

Toby nodded and did as she was told and left the room. "Don't you think its a little early for bedtime?"

Mark shrugged. "She's being punished for her behavior, I can always spank her..."

Sammy shook her head and Mark smiled, Sammy was so kind hearted. "I'm going to go tuck her in."

Mark watched her leave, he hoped she didn't get to attached to Toby.

Mark got up to make sure all the doors were locked, and sat down on the sofa to wait for Sammy.

Sammy read the girl a story and tucked the covers around her. "Night Toby." She said and bent down to kiss the girls cheek.

"Night Sammy, thank you for letting me stay here." Toby said yawning, she was very sleepy.

"You're welcome." Sammy stood and turned on the small night light and turned off the over head light.

Sammy walked into the living room and Mark was seated on the sofa watching a movie, he looked up at her and smiled. "C'mere Shorty." he said patting the seat beside him.

Sammy sank down beside him and he put his arm around her and turned to his side. He looked at her, he wanted her there was no doubt of that, but he wasn't sure if she was ready for a sexual relationship. "Shorty I want you to sleep with me tonight, do you want too?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks so much for the reviews, sorry guys no smut yet.. don't kill me,lol.**

* * *

Sammy turned red in the face and started stuttering. "I I I ..."

Mark smiled and bent to kiss her, it wasn't a long or hard kiss, but it still set her heart to racing. When he lifted his head, he lifted her chin. "Not like that, just sleep, we'll leave the door open so we can here Toby, if she decides to try anything cute."

Sammy looked up at him. "Just sleep?"

Mark leaned back keeping his arm around her. "Well I cant promise I wont kiss you, but I'm a big boy, I can control myself, kiss a little and sleep."

Sammy was confused and Mark saw it on her face. "I'm attracted to you Sammy, I get the feeling, you have similar feelings?"

Sammy nodded. "Its just, well its been a while since I had sex." She almost whispered.

Mark rubbed her arm. "How Long?"

Sammy sighed and looked down. "Ten years."

Mark gave her a look. "There a reason why?"

Sammy squirmed, she hated talking about the stuff in her past. Mark lifted her in his lap, she was always amazed that she didn't have any fear of this big man. "Shorty you can tell me anything, you know that."

Sammy leaned on his chest and Mark rubbed her curly head letting the curls slip through his fingers. "I was engaged to a man, I thought I loved him, now I'm not so sure, anyway my parents paid him off to stay away from me."

Mark didn't comment just let her take her time. "A couple of months later, he came back, he tried to explain, said he needed the money, and said we could still see each other, just we couldn't let anyone know, what he really meant was we could have sex..."

Mark kept his one arm wrapped firmly around her, his other hand moving down to rub her neck, massaging , trying to relax her. "I told him to get lost, that I hated him, he got mad, he grabbed me..." She swallowed hard and Mark rubbed her back he could sense her pain. "He raped me."

Mark felt the anger well up in him, but he tamped it down. "I'm sorry Shorty."

Sammy didn't cry, she had shed so many tears over the years over it, she wasn't sure she could cry anymore, she was tired of crying over Kent. Mark wrapped both arms around her. "If you're not ready for kissing, well hell anything, thats fine, just tell me to back off."

Sammy lifted her head and smiled at Mark. "I'm not scared of you, the thought of kissing you doesn't scare me."

Mark smiled and bent to brush their lips together. "Good."

* * *

True to his word, Mark didn't nothing more than kiss her senseless, although it went on for a while, and by the time, he finished she felt the his desire pressed firmly against her hip. "I'm sorry Mark." She said from the shelter of his big arms.

"I'm a big boy, not gonna die cause I go to sleep with a hard on, now go to sleep." he growled softly in her ear.

Sammy sighed, yeah it wasn't his fault she was a basket case who couldn't be normal. "Stop it." he barked.

Mark sighed and pulled her closer kissing her ear. "Thinking bad stuff about yourself, I can practically here your wheels turning."

Sammy ran her hands over his big arms that were wrapped around her. "Mark?"

"Yeah." He asked.

"Have you always been so bossy?" Sammy asked grinning.

Mark nipped at her neck causing her to squeal. "Yes, always..I'm always in charge, I expect people to do what I say, and if you don't close your eyes and go to sleep, I'm going to spank that cute butt of yours."

Sammy laughed and pushed back closer to him and closed her eyes. "Okay bossy."

Mark kissed her cheek. "Good girl."

* * *

The next morning Sammy and Mark fixed breakfast, Toby seemed pretty quite, but she ate and then helped Mark wash the dishes up while Sammy went and got dressed, she wanted to get the paperwork done and out of the way so she could get Toby signed up for school.

Mark looked at Toby."Go get dressed, I'm taking you to Scott's."

Toby ran out of the room down the hallway to get dressed, she never had so many clothes in her life, she picked out denim shorts and a blue tank top and went to the closet and grabbed a pair of the flip flops Sammy had got for her. Sammy came in smiling. "Here let me fix your hair."

Toby flopped on the bed and let Sammy brush her hair and put it in a ponytail. "Okay all done."

They walked down to the living room and Mark jumped up. "C'mon Toby, lets go, "I'l be back in a few and we'll go." Mark said.

Sammy nodded and gave Toby a hug. "We wont be gone to long, okay?"

Toby nodded and followed Mark out to the truck and Sammy sat down at her laptop, she decided to work until Mark got back, she was going to have to do some work tonight, she had been so busy the last couple of days she hadn't even thought about work.

* * *

Mark nudged the reluctant girl in the door, she kept her eyes on the floor. Kevin urged her in. "C'mon in Toby."

Toby peeked up at the big man and walked in further. Mia smiled at her from the couch. "Hello Toby."

"Hi." She said looking around.

Kevin went to get Seth who came out looking none to happy. Mark put his hand on Toby's shoulder, reminding her why she was here. Toby sighed and looked at Seth. "I'm sorry I called you names, and I'm sorry I ruined your sandcastle."

Seth sighed, she went first he guessed he could say sorry too. "Sorry I called you names."

Kevin nodded. "Now I think you two can learn to get along, okay?"

"Yes sir." Seth said although he didn't look convinced.

Toby nodded, but she didn't think Seth wanted to be her friend. Seth ran over to Mark. "Uncle Mark will you take me and Emma to the boardwalk tonight?"

Mark bent down in front of Seth. "Maybe, I got some stuff to do today, I'll call your dad this afternoon and let him know."

Seth hugged Mark and ran off to his room. "I gotta get going, I'll talk to you guys later."

Toby followed Mark out, she was nervous about going to Scott's, he was nice, but what if his daughter hated her.

Mark looked down at the girl dragging her feet. "Pick up your feet kid."

Toby just sighed and followed him next door to Scott's. Bailey opened the door and smiled at Toby. "You must be Toby, come on in."

Toby smiled because she seemed so nice, just like Scott. "C'mon." She said taking the girls hand. "Scott and Emma are in the kitchen."

Toby looked at Mark and he nodded and followed the two. Scott and Emma were having breakfast and Emma looked up and smiled at the girl. "Hey, I'm Emma." She said grinning at the girl.

Toby was surprised, she had ruined her sandcastle, why was she being nice to her?

"I'm Toby."

Scott smiled at the little girl. "You hungry Toby?"

She shook her head. "No thank you."

Bailey took Toby's hand. "Why don't I take you and show you my studio, I write children's books, I think you'll like it, Emma when you get done, come on back, you two can play."

Emma nodded. "Okay Mama."

Mark looked at Scott. We'll be back soon, hopefully, shouldn't take more than a couple of hours."

"Take your time, she'll be fine." Scott said.

Mark left he just hoped the kid was on her best behavior, he didn't trust the nice act she was putting on.

* * *

Toby smiled as she ate the ice cream cone, her and Emma sat side by side on a wood bench eating. Scott sat on the other end reading a newspaper while they ate. "Your daddy is nice, so is your Mommy."

Emma smiled and rubbed her hand over her mouth to get the ice cream off. "Yeah, I have the best mommy and daddy, but they can be you Uncle and Auntie too."

Toby smiled, Bailey and Scott were so nice to her and so was Emma. "I'm sorry I ruined your sandcastle that day, I was just mad, and ..."

The girl trailed off and Emma just smiled. "Its okay, sometimes I get mad and do bad stuff, so does Seth, its okay, I still want you to be my friend."

Toby smiled. "I wanna be your friend too."

Scott sat the paper down. "Okay girls, you done?"

Both girls hopped up and took Scott's hands. "Yes."

"Well I guess we can go home, Mark and Sammy should be back, and I think they want to get you registered for school."

Toby frowned. "I don't wanna go to school."

Emma looked over at Toby. "Its fun, I promise, what grade are you in?"

Toby shrugged. "I never been to school, I'm six, my birthday was last month."

Scott looked down at Toby. "You'll probably be in Kindergarten, you'll like it and that class is right across from Emma, you can play together at recess."

Toby looked up at Scott." Really?"

He nodded and squeezed her hand. "Yep, I promise you'll love it." Toby lowered her head, she was a dummy, she didn't know how to read or write or nothing.

Scott saw the look on her face and he stopped and bent down in front of her. "Whats wrong?"

Emma looked at her new friend with concern. Toby shrugged. "I'm stupid, I cant read or nothing."

Scott lifted her chin. "Don't ever say that, you're not stupid, everyone has to learn, Sammy is going to help you, Mark too, and Me and Bailey, even Emma okay?"

Toby looked up at Scott. "Okay."

Emma hugged her knew friend. "I know my numbers and Abc's I can write my name, I'll help."

Toby was happy, she was glad Sammy had found her, she just hoped she got to stay here."

* * *

Mark and Sammy picked Toby up at noon and took her home, with plans to register for school the next day, since it was Sunday.

Mark retreated to his side of the house and Sammy sat down with Toby and they worked on teaching her to write her ABC's and how to spell her name.

Toby was a quick learner and Sammy hugged her. "You're doing so good Toby."

The little girl hugged her back. "Thank you for teaching me."

The two worked for a couple of hours then stopped to get a snack. Sammy fixed them peanut butter sandwiches and they had milk.

Mark walked in a few minutes later, he stopped to look at Toby's work on her letter. "You're doing good kid, you keep practicing."

Toby flushed under his praise, she didn't know why she cared, Mark was mean, she didn't care what Sammy said, he didn't even like her she could tell. "I'm going out for the evening, want me to bring you too dinner back?"

Sammy shook her head. "I'll order Pizza, I have to work, I'm going to set Toby up on my PC, while I work on my laptop, theres lot of good web sites that help with reading and stuff for her age."

Mark nodded and bent and kissed Sammy gently. "I'll be back around nine, okay?"

Sammy nodded and she got up putting the plates in the sink. "Let's get you set up, I have to get some work done today."

* * *

Mark walked along the boardwalk, the kids were loaded down with toys Mark had won them, Emma ran over and smiled up at him. "Uncle Mark can we have cotton Candy?"

"Don't you think you two have had enough sugar? He said thinking of all the candy he had fed them.

Emma pouted her bottom lip out. "Pretty please?"

"Fine." Mark walked over and got two cotton candy's for the kids, they laid there stuff down and sat down on the bench.

"Uncle Mark why didn't you bring Toby? Emma asked.

Mark had thought about it, but Toby could be a smart mouth , he didn't feel like dealing with that tonight, these two kids were practically family and while any kid got on his nerves after a while, he and Scott and Kevin were like brothers these kid were his family, besides Seth and Toby didn't really like each other, he knew the two would most likely fight if he had brought Toby along.

Mark just shrugged.

Seth never one to keep his opinions to himself spoke up. "She's a brat, you should see the fit she threw at Aunt Sammy's, besides she dumb."

Mark gave Seth a look. "Thats enough boy, Toby's not perfect, neither are you, and she's not dumb, how'd you like it if someone called you dumb."

Seth looked away, he didn't want Mark to be mad at him, but Toby was a brat.

Emma shook her head. "Seth I like her and you better not be mean to her."

Seth sighed. "Fine, I'll be nice."

Emma smiled and hugged him. "Good."

* * *

Mark walked in a little after nine, he found Sammy on the computer working and Toby was laying on the couch watching TV. "Past your bedtime, go take a bath and get ready for bed." Mark said and watched the girl scamper off.

Mark walked over and kissed Sammy on the cheek. "Get any work done?'

She nodded smiling up at him. "Yeah, she was good, she played on the computer , practiced her letters for a while, and then we had dinner."

"Good, I'm going to go get a shower and watch TV, when you're done working come on over."

Sammy nodded and buried her head back in her work.

Mark waited a half hour and went to check on Toby, he knew when Sammy got in her work, she barely lifted her head, he found her in her bedroom, trying to brush her wet hair, Mark grabbed a towel and helped her dry it, and brushed it out for her. "Okay, in the bed, you have to get up early tomorrow."

"I'm not sleepy." She protested.

Mark pulled back the covers on the bed. "Get in." Mark wasn't going to waste time arguing with a little kid."

Toby wasn't happy at all, everything was fine till he came home. "But I don't want to, I wanna watch TV..."

Mark lifted her and laid her in the bed. "Now stay there, I mean it, its bedtime."

Toby turned on her side and tears pricked her eyes, she wished Sammy was the on that had put her to bed, she felt him pull the covers over her and she rubbed her eyes, wiping the tears away.

Toby heard him leave and flipped over on her back, she wished he was nicer, he just barked orders all the time, he never talked to her. Toby sighed, he just didn't like her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Sammy stood in the office with Toby clutching her hand. They had filled out the paperwork, now they were waiting for her teacher to come get her.

Toby looked up at Sammy. "I'm scared."

Sammy bent down in front of the girl. "I know, but I promise you, it'll be fine and you'll love it and you get to see Emma at recess."

Toby nodded. "Okay." She said trying to be brave. Sammy hugged her and gave her a kiss.

"Hey Toby."

The girl looked up to see a young blond lady standing there. "I'm Ms. Halsey, your teacher."

Toby waved at her shyly. Sammy introduced herself and walked Toby down to class, she hugged the girl again. "I'll be here to pick you up at two, okay?"

The girl nodded and took her teachers hand, Sammy sighed and turned to leave, she just hoped Toby would do okay.

Mark was gone when Sammy got home, she spent a hour or so making beds and washing clothes and then went to work.

She spent the better part of the day working, only getting up to make coffee around noon. It was close to one when she finally stopped and got up stretching. She seen Mark pull in the driveway and walked out waving to him. Mark walked up and wrapped her in a warm hug. "How was Toby this morning?"

"She was fine a little scared, but she did okay, I have to go get her at two."

Mark nodded and they sat down on the porch swing. "I bought a gym today, I realized I'm dying of boredom, so I'm going to redo the whole place and open it, give me something to keep myself busy."

"Thats great Mark." Sammy said smiling at the fact he was holding her hand. They talked a few more minutes and Mark got up. "I'm going to go fix me a bite and make a few calls, come over when Toby gets home, we'll fix dinner together."

Sammy nodded. "Okay.

She went in and finished her last cup of coffee and turned the pot off.

She looked at the time and realized she better get going, she went out and seen Mark had her blocked in.

She walked back in and went through the connecting door, he was in the kitchen. "Can you move your truck so I can get out."

Mark tossed her the keys, here just move it to the curb, I'll move it back later."

"Okay." She took his keys and and walked out front to his big black truck. Sammy got in and started it, it was the biggest thing she had ever seen and she wasn't that comfortable behind the wheel, plus it was adjusted for Mark's big frame.

She slowly started to back out and was doing fine till she felt the crash and heard it, she pushed on the brakes and cut the motor, Mark was going to kill her.

Mark had already run out the door and his eyes was wide, she had killed his baby.

Sammy couldn't believe she had done something so stupid. "Fuck."

Mark eyes got even wider, Sammy never cursed, when she looked up and seen him, her whole face flamed and she put her hand over her mouth.

Mark stood there for a long moment and then he shocked her, he started laughing, he opened the door and helped her out. "You okay?" he asked checking her over.

"Yes..I'm sorry Mark, I should have been more careful." He waved the apology away with on big hand, he walked around back of the truck. "Well you killed the mailbox, but the truck is okay, just a dent ." He called out.

Sammy was still in shock he wasn't yelling his head off, he came around and got in the truck backing it out and to the curb. Sammy just watched confused. When he got out and came back up to her he was still smiling, he bent and kissed her. "Go get Toby."

Sammy just looked at him oddly. "Mark, I really am sorry, and I don't usually say words like that..I was just frustrated."

Mark wrapped her in a hug. "I know that, I'll fix the mailbox while you're gone, okay."

Sammy nodded and climbed in her car and pulled out.

Mark smiled as he went to get his tools. He had been mad as hell ready ro rip into her, but the look on her face and hearing someone like Sammy saying that word had been too much, she was so damned cute, he just grinned and started whistling happily as he repaired the mailbox.

* * *

Sammy smiled as she drove Toby home from school, the girl was positively glowing, "I did good Sammy, I got all my letters right and I can write my name and I got a gold star for being good, and I got home work, and I played with Emma at recess and she let me meet her other friends."

Sammy smiled at the girl. "I'm so proud of you Toby."

Toby smiled and got even happier when they stopped at Baskin Robbins for a celebration sundae, she sat at the little table with Sammy and eating ice cream. "Are you gonna tell Mark I was good?"

Sammy smiled. "No, maybe you should."

Toby shook her head. "He don't care, he don't like me."

Sammy patted the girls arm. "Mark is just gruff, he can be kind of grumpy, I know that, but he does like you and he does care."

Toby just looked skeptical, the only time he noticed her when she was bad, if she was good he just ignored her. Emma had told her that Mark took her and Seth to the boardwalk last night, it hurt her feelings that he didn't take her, but then again Mark was their uncle, she was just some kid, staying with Sammy."Can I tell Uncle Scott and Aunt Bailey?"

Sammy smiled. "Sure we'll stop by and stop in and see Kevin and Mia too"

They found Kevin, Mia and Seth were over at Scott's. Toby ran over hugging Scott telling him about her day.

Kevin grinned. "Scott does have the charm with the ladies don't he, even the little ones."

Mia smiled, she was glad to see the little girl so excited.

Seth sat frowning. "Emma she's trying to steal your daddy."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Silly no she's not, Uncle Mark is going to be her daddy, Uncle Mark just needs to be kissing Aunt Sammy, so they can get married."

Seth just frowned even more, he hoped Aunt Sammy and Uncle Mark wasn't going to be her mommy and daddy.

The adults went to have coffee in the kitchen, Kevin called Toby over and he spent a while talking to her about her day, Seth stood in the doorway glaring at her.

Seth watched all the grownups talking to her and it made him mad this was his family."Sammy can I go play with Emma?"

Sammy nodded and the girl slipped past Seth and went in the living room, Emma turned on her video game and showed her how to play her wrestling game.

Seth came over and flopped down. "I wanna play."

Emma looked at Seth. "I only have two controllers, we'll take turns."

"No, I wanna play now!" He yelled.

Emma looked at her friend like he was crazy. "Seth, you can play in a minute, here take my turn if you want" She said holding out the controller to him.

He slapped it out of her hand,Seth was mad, he looked at Toby. "You don't know how to play anyway, stupid."

Toby didn't say anything because Mark had told her no more fighting or cussing. Emma jerked her hand back. "Whats wrong with you Seth?"

Kevin however had heard Seth and seen what he did and walked up behind him. "Boy have you lost your mind?"

Seth whirled around. "Papa..I just wanted to play."

Kevin lifted the boy in his arms. "You're acting like a spoiled brat." he carried the boy in the kitchen and told Mia him and Seth was heading home, Toby felt sorry for him, he had a really sorry look on his face. He stopped in front of Toby. "Apologize." he told his son."Sorry."

Toby looked at Emma. "He's in big trouble huh?"

Emma nodded. "I don't know whats wrong with him."

Toby knew, he hated her.

* * *

Toby pulled out her homework and went to the kitchen, Sammy was making coffee. "Can I do my homework here?"

"Sure honey, did you go see Mark?" Sammy asked.

Toby shook her head. She was afraid he would yell at her or something. Sammy turned and hugged the girl. "Go on, okay?"

Toby sighed and shuffled down the hall and peeked through the connecting door that always seemed open now. Toby didn't see him, so she walked down the hall and peeked in his living room, he was sitting in his recliner talking on the phone and watching TV.

Toby didn't figure she should bother him. She went to back up, but he looked up and spotted her. Mark said bye and got off the phone. "Get in here pup."

Toby looked at him strangely, pup? Then she thought maybe that was good, it was a nickname, he called Sammy shorty a lot.

Sammy walked over and stood in front of him. "Yes sir?"

Mark sighed. "Well you're in my house, what did you want?"

Toby looked at her feet, he sure didn't sound to friendly. "Ummm.." She trailed off she was too afraid ,he didn't really care how her day was.

Mark shook his head and set up, he snagged the girl pulling her closer. "How was school?"

Toby kept her eyes on her feet. "I got a gold star for being good, and I can spell my name now and I can write all my ABC's and I got to have recess with Emma."

Mark lifted her chin. "Gold star huh, that must mean you were pretty good."

"Yeah, I was, I did everything my teacher told me to." Toby said.

Mark nodded. "I figured you would, reach in my pocket ."

Toby reached in his shirt pocket and closed her little hand around something and pulled it out. "Sweettarts." She said grinning.

"Can I have some now?" Toby asked very pleased he had gotten her a surprise.

"Yeah, just three, you can have the rest after dinner, okay?" Mark said.

Toby nodded. "Thank you."

"Your welcome pup, now I bet you got homework, go on and do it, we have to go to the grocery store a little later." Mark said.

"Yes sir." She said and skipped off. Mark just shook his head and leaned back in his recliner, something about this whole situation was beginning to feel way to domestic.

* * *

Mark pushed the cart and stopped at the the fresh fruits and threw in oranges, apples and banana's, he grabbed some grapes. "Pup, grab some of those peaches."

Toby nodded and got a bag and put four in and ran them to Mark. "Where's Sammy?"

"She went to get coffee." The girl said. Mark figured they might as well shop together since ninety percent of the time they ate together, and this way he could steer her away from junk. Sammy came up and put several bags of coffee in the cart. "What else?"

Mark looked at his list. "Bread, milk, eggs, cheese."

Sammy nodded and went off to get it. "Mark?"

"Yeah pup?" He said marking items off his list. "Can I have some cereal?"

Mark gave her a look. "I believe in a hot breakfast, cereal is nothing but junk."

Toby scuffed her feet. "Okay."

Mark sighed, knowing his luck she would start weeping or some shit. "One box, and its for snack only, not for breakfast, your not starting your day eating sugar."

"Yes sir, okay." She said and started looking at all the cereal trying to decide what she wanted. Toby grabbed a box of cookie crisp and showed them to Mark. "Can I get these?"

He nodded. "yeah sure."

"Thank you." Mark just nodded, he was starting to feel like a real wimp around these two, he better start putting his foot down or Sammy and Toby would running over him like a freight train.

* * *

Sammy put the girl to bed, kissing her and turning out the light, the girl was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Sammy went and took a shower, sighing as the hot water revived her. She got out and dried off and put on shorts and a tank top, she went down to the kitchen to get some water.

Her thoughts were on Mark, she had slept with him the last few nights, she didn't know if this point she needed a invitation, but she figured she would wait for him.

She sipped her water and thought about whether she should just crash his bedroom. Sammy shook her head, that wasn't her way, besides he might take it the wrong way, although she wasn't sure how she wanted him to take it, for the first time in years, she could think about sex without cringing, far from cringing thinking about Mark naked, was doing some strange things to her, she wanted the man, she wasn't stupid, any time he touched her , she became aroused.

"Shorty?"

She turned around smiling. "Hey."

Mark smiled. "You going to work?"

She nodded and set her water down. "Care if I watch TV while you work, will it bother you?"

"No, nothing bothers me when I work." She said.

"Okay, that way, I can make sure you end up in the right bed at bedtime." he said winking at her and then turning and heading for her living room.

Sammy blushed and followed slowly, she had a feeling it wouldn't be long before she got to test her theory about whether or not she was ready for sex.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks so much for the reviews..heres some smut,lol..warning adult sexual content!**

* * *

Sammy sighed as she moved closer to Mark, they had spent the last thirty minutes kissing and her body was humming with desire.

Mark pulled away but kept his arms around her. "I think we better stop."

Sammy sighed, why did he always get to be the boss, she was pretty sure she wanted more, she wasn't scared and when she thought about sex with Mark, it just made her want him. Sammy slid her hand beneath the covers and started rubbing the bulge in the front of his boxers.

"Shorty what are you doing?" Mark asked trying to sound calm, but his heart was racing.

"I want to well...touch you."

Mark pushed his hips toward her hand, it felt so damn good. "You sure?" Mark didn't want to rush her, but he wasn't going to second guess her either.

Sammy nodded and Mark pushed his boxers down in record time, when her hand closed around his shaft, he groaned.

Sammy smiled, she loved touching him, his skin was , hot and hard, and smooth all at the same time, she stroked his hard shaft up and down and Mark closed his eyes, it felt so fucking good.

Mark groaned and opened his eyes and looked at her. "Keep it up, he's gonna spit on you."

Sammy burst out laughing and lay on her back. "Make love to me Mark?"

Mark looked at her and nodded, he got on his knees and pulled off her shorts and panties, then her shirt. "Shorty, you're really beautiful."

Sammy smiled. "So are you."

Mark rolled his eyes and settled between her legs, he bent and kissed her gently. "Men are not beautiful, their handsome ya know manly."

Sammy laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for another kiss. Mark let his lips move over hers, loving to just taste her, kiss her, his tongue nudged at her lips and when her lips parted ,he glided in for a more intimate taste of her.

"Mmmmm." Sammy moaned and spread her legs. "Mark I want you in me now."

Mark ran his hand down her neck, then to her breast, stopping to tease her nipples to hard peaks and then down her belly till he reached the apex of her legs, he ran his fingers over her slick heat, making sure she was ready, he slid a finger in drawing a squeal from her.

Mark kissed her deeply and then joined another finger to the first one, moving his fingers in and out, her hips arched up to meet his questing fingers. "Just wanted to make sure you're ready, I'm abnormally large ya know."

Sammy giggled . "And manly."

Mark smiled. "You on birth control?"

She nodded. She had been taking it for years to regulate her periods.

Mark nodded and spread her legs and pushed in her wet heat slowly sinking in a inch at a time, Sammy groaned and clung to Mark.

"Shorty, if you want to stop at anytime, tell me okay?" Mark said as he bent to kiss her cheek.

Sammy was overcome at his tenderness, this big bossy grump, was sometimes the sweetest man alive. Sammy nodded, but if what she was feeling between her legs was any indication of things to come, she wouldn't be stopping anything, Mark continued to pierce her wet flesh slowly easing his way in her tight inner passage.

"Mark feels gooood." She groaned.

Mark smiled as he pushed in till he was fully sheathed in her slick passage. "Feels pretty damn good to me too."

Mark pulled back slowly till he was completely out causing her to whimper and then pushed back in, Sammy's legs came up and wrapped around his waist. "More..."

Mark bent and kissed her, his tongue tangling with her and his hips thrust in a slow rhythm, building the tingling between Sammy's legs to a slow long peak, till she was thrashing beneath him.

Mark kept up the slow rhythm though it was killing him, he bent and sucked one pert nipple in his mouth causing Sammy to yell out.

Mark took his time, moving his hips back and forth slowly sucking on both breast till she was whimpering with need. "I think my baby is ready to come." he purred in her ear.

"Yesssssssssssss." She begged, pushing against his hips, Mark smiled and started snapping his hips back and forth at a faster pace, Sammy nearly screamed at the feel of his huge shaft filling her, her nerve endings tingled and the feeling started to spread to the rest of her body, Sammy arched her body and screamed his name as she climaxed, Mark pressed his lips to her and kissed her deeply as he moved faster in her slick heat, "God Sammy, he moaned as his own body climaxed and he thrust deep and hard and released his seed deep in her belly.

Mark didn't stop, he kept thrusting as he was still hard, his body wanting more from her, Sammy held tight to his big arms as he pounded in her slick passage again and again. "Markkkkkkkkkkk." She screamed through another climax, her hips bucking against his, Sammy fell limp as he thrust hard and fast in her tight tunnel. "Yeah Sammy, so fuckin tight girl." he moaned and fell apart for a second time, his body collapsed on her and he tried to catch his breath, her rolled over and pulled her on top of him, kissing her lips. "So fuckin hot Shorty."

Sammy relaxed and cuddled on his chest and his big arms came round her holding her stroking her back, his hand cupped her ass and squeezed and she giggled and lay there, loving the feel of his big hands exploring her.

She jumped when his fingers probed between her legs, he rubbed his hand over her gently. "Junior done went and made ya sore, but don't worry you'll get used to him." Mark teased.

Sammy giggled and leaned up to kiss him. "I'm a little sore ,but thats cause you're so big."

Mark grinned and hugged her tight to him. "Why don't you sleep some, I got a remedy if you're still hurting after while." He growled.

"What would that be?' She asked tracing the tats on his arm. "I'll just have to kiss it and lick it till it feels batter." He said.

Sammy blushed, but the image made her shiver. Mark just chuckled and patted her butt. "Sleep."

Sammy closed her eyes , lulled by the steady thump of his heartbeat beneath her ear. She figured she might be to heavy so she went to roll to the side of him, but his big arms kept her in place. "I don't think so." he gave her a smack on her butt and lifted her chin. "You sleep where I say and tonight, I want you where I can touch you whenever I want."

Sammy just smiled and settled back on his chest. He was such dominating control freak, she thought smiling. She should be running for the hills, but she had no desire too, Mark made her feel safe and loved, she never wanted to be anywhere but right next to him.

* * *

Sammy smiled and cuddled closer to Mark, he had indeed woke her several times last night, being woken with Mark's tongue between you thighs, she thought must be the nicest thing in the world, and then again later, he had eased in her tender flesh slowly making love to her before dawn. Now she just felt warm, happy and safe, she could stay here forever. She nuzzled against him trying her best to get even closer. "Okay Shorty, you done woke me up, lets get going, you have to get Toby up for school anyway."

Sammy just kept her eyes closed hoping he would be quite, she was warm and sleepy, its not like she had much sleep last night, she felt Mark get up and cuddled farther under the cover. "Up." He commanded.

Sammy just pulled the covers over her head and turned over. She heard him sigh and felt the bed move as he sat back down. She didn't pay much attention till she felt herself pulled from beneath the covers and hauled over his lap. "I know I been way to easy on you, I can see that now." she yelped as his big hand smacked her ass. "Owww."

Mark grinned and sat her up. "Now I'll make coffee, you go get Toby up, then we'll get breakfast going."

Sammy smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down for a kiss. "Kay." She murmured before she scooted off his lap.

Mark just grinned and got up to get dress, he was as happy as he had been while, Sammy was something special that was for sure.

* * *

They sat around the table having sausage biscuits. Mark looked at Toby. "Did you finish your home work, Pup?"

Toby nodded. "Yes sir."

Mark nodded and got up and grabbed a lunch for her out of the fridge and put it in her back pack. Mark and Sammy washed the dishes up, then got Toby ready and took her and dropped her off at School. Mark took Sammy by the gym he bought and showed it to her. "This is great Mark."

He smiled. "Keep me busy anyway."

Mark held her hand as the walked through the gym looking around. "You know Sammy, Once I get the place on its feet, I'll only be working mornings, but you know if you need me, just call okay, I don't want you to feel like I'm not here for you."

Sammy smiled and kissed him. "Mark I know you'll be around when I need you, you've proved that."

Mark smiled and put his arm around her, Sammy was becoming very important to him, he needed her and he hadn't needed anyone in a long time.

Mark dropped Sammy off and went back to the gym, he had a crew coming over the day and he wanted to help with the remodeling, he had set around to long doing nothing.

Sammy spent the morning, cleaning, making beds and doing laundry, she only was used to herself and didn't realize how fast laundry piled up for three people.

When she was done she got her laptop and decided to work till it was time to pick up Toby. The morning seemed to go fast and she was startled by her doorbell ringing.

Sammy was even more startled when she opened the door to find Kent standing there, all the blood drained from her face. "What do you want?"

He smiled. "Sammy you look great, we need to talk."

Sammy felt cold all over why did he have to show up now? She tried to shut the door, but he stuck his foot in the door. "Look its important."

Sammy looked up at him, he hadn't changed much, same blond hair, and clear blues eyes, eyes that caused her nightmares.

"Look your dad called me, we really need to talk." he said pushing his way in.

Sammy backed up looking scared as he shut the door. "Your dad, seems to think that, the reason you wont forgive him, is because he paid me to get out of your life, he told me we could get married and that if we give him a coupled grandchildren, we get everything he has when he dies, I say we get started on those kids right now." He said smirking.

Sammy was in a panic, why didn't her stupid father just stay out of her business. "I don't want you, idiot, are you nuts?"

She backed down the hallway as he followed her with a sick grin on his face. "You're going to make me very rich Sammy."

Sammy hit the kitchen counter and she realized she was blocked in , her hands found the drawer and clutched at it. "Don't come near me, I mean it."

Kent just smiled. "You know you love me, this is what you want, you always did."

"No, you raped me." She yelled as her hand dung into the drawer behind her feeling for a knife.

Kent shook his head. "You loved me, that wasn't rape, you wanted me, you were just pissed."

Sammy couldn't believe this idiot, it just fueled her anger , she grabbed the big knife and pulled it in front of her."Don't come near me."

Kent started laughing. "You're not going to use that, put it down." He said walking forward and making a grab for it, Sammy couldn't take any more and brought her hand down and it sank deep in his shoulder.

Sammy looked on in horror as he screamed out and blood spurted out of his shoulder getting her and her hands bloody , she watched as he fell to the floor and Sammy turned and ran out the back door.

Sammy wasn't even thinking, she ran to Mia's and beat on the door and after a few minutes tried the door, but it was locked.

She paced, had she killed him, he might be bleeding to death right now in her kitchen.

Sammy ran next door to Bailey's praying she was at home, she banged hard on the door.

Scott pulled the door open and was shocked by Sammy's appearance. " Honey, you okay? Seiing the blood on her hands.

Sammy just lost it and started crying. "Hey come here." Scott pulled her in wrapping his arms around her. "Whats wrong Sammy?"

"Kent..." Was the only thing she could choke out. Scott rubbed her back, Mia , Kevin and Seth were out for the day, Bailey had flown to New York to meet with her publisher's , she wouldn't be back for two day. "Honey tell me what wrong."

Sammy looked up at Scott. "Kent came by, pushed his way in, I was scared, he wouldn't leave, I grabbed a knife and stabbed him.

Scott was shocked, he knew he needed to get to her house right away, but he didn't feel like he could leave Sammy in the state she was in. Scott kept a arm around her and called on of his police officer friends, telling him quickly what happened, then he called Mark. "Mark get home now."

"Scott whats wrong?"

Scott sighed, Sammy seemed to have just shut down, she wasn't saying shit. "Mark, just get here quick, come to your place, Sammy needs you."

Mark hung up, thats all he needed to hear.

Scott pushed Sammy back to look at her. "Sammy we need to go back over there, can you do that?"

Sammy nodded, but Scott was worried about her, she looked so pale. 'You don't have to go in, I'm going in to check on Kent, okay?"

She nodded. "I didn't mean to kill him." She said sounding distraught, Scott hugged her "You didn't kill him , okay." He knew it bothered her to even kill a bug, much less what this would do to her.

"C'mon." he kept his arm around her and led her out to his truck, and helped her in, he wanted to kick this guys head in, like Sammy didn't have enough to deal with without her ex stalking her.


	13. Chapter 13

**You guys are so great with your reviews, thanks, its two for one day , thanks again**

* * *

Scott was relieved to find Kent alive, he wanted him alive so he could kick his ass at a later date, he got the bleeding stopped and by that the time, the cops and a ambulance were there.

The ambulance took Kent away to the hospital, with one of the policemen following, since Sammy was pressing charges.

Scott held Sammy's hand as she answered the police's questions, by the time they were done Mark rushed in, he didn't say a word just grabbed Sammy. "Shorty, you okay?"

Sammy fell in his arms relieved to see him. "Mark I need to talk to you, Sammy sit here for a minute, okay?"

Sammy nodded and Scott pulled mark to the side and told him what happened, Mark was so angry he knew he would kill this guy if he seen him. "Calm down Mark, I already had a restraining order putt out on Kent, she stabbed him but good, he lost a lot of blood, but he'll live."

Mark was glad, he knew Sammy could not live with herself if she killed someone. "I just want to go kill her dad, I cant believe this shit."

"Me either, no wonder the girl disappeared for ten years and changed her name, she gets no peace from these people." Scott said.

Scott looked at Sammy who still looked dazed. "Look I'm going to go get Emma, I'll pick up Toby, I called Mia and her and Kevin are on their way here, I'l take Seth with me too, give her some time to pull herself together."

Mark nodded. "Thanks Scott, for everything."

Scott nodded. "I'll call before I bring Toby home."

Mark watched him leave and went over to pull Sammy back in his arms. "Shorty no one is going to hurt you again."

* * *

Scott strapped both girls in the back of the Tahoe. "Uncle Scott, why didn't Sammy pick me up?"

"I just thought it would be fun to go to the amusement park today, huh?" Scott said ruffling her hair.

She didn't look convinced, Seth wasn't so sure either, his parents had rushed home after a call from Scott, what if there was something wrong. "Is Aunt Sammy okay?" He asked.

"Sure kid, she's just fine." Scott said and shut the door, Seth looked at Toby, she looked really upset. Emma took her hand. "Aunt Sammy is okay, daddy said so."

Toby looked at Emma. "Maybe she don't want me no more."

Seth saw she was close to tears, and he realized she loved Aunt Sammy just the way he did. "Aunt Sammy wants you, nothings wrong, Uncle Scott just likes spending time with us."

Toby looked at him surprised, and she smiled at him, Seth grinned and the three of them started talking about wrestling.

* * *

Mia hovered over her sister till Sammy thought she would scream, she knew Mia meant well, but her nerves were shot. "I'm going to work." She said and got up and went to set down at her desk.

Mia walked over to Mark and Kevin. "She's working, how can she work, she's locking this all up inside."

Mark looked at Mia. "Leave her be, she has to deal with this in her way, when she's ready to talk, I'll be here."

Kevin nodded. "He's right, Call us tomorrow, we need to deal with her dad once and for all."

Mia went over and kissed her sister's cheek. "Love you sis, see you tomorrow."

Sammy looked up and smiled. "I love you too."

Kevin came over bending down to hug Sammy. "Get some rest okay?"

She nodded and went right back to working. Mark walked over and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to start dinner Shorty, okay?"

Sammy nodded and kept working, Mark knew she had to escape this for a while, he left her to work.

Sammy had been working non stop for hours, she looked up when Scott came in with Emma and Toby.

She was surprised when Toby ran to her and hugged her tight. Sammy smiled and kissed the girl. "Hey honey did you have fun?"

The little girl leaned back. "Yeah we had a good time and me and Seth didn't fight, we made friends."

Sammy smiled. "I'm glad Toby." she opened her other arm for Emma and hugged the girl close and listened at they chatted about their day.

Scott followed Mark to the kitchen. "How is she?"

Mark sighed. " I don't know, she's wrapped herself up in work."

Scott nodded. "Maybe the best for now, she'll talk when she's ready."

Mark silently agreed, he thought the worse thing in the world would be to push her. "Look, I'm going to bring her over tomorrow, I would take her to Kev's but Mia has to go in to her office for the day and Kevin has some signing or another to do, I'm going to have a long talk with dear old dad, and make him understand he needs to sty out of Sammy's life."

Scott nodded. "I'm keeping Seth tomorrow, just drop her off."

Mark nodded and took the spaghetti sauce off the stove. "I just don't want her by herself."

Scott nodded in understanding. If Bailey was in this situation he would be beside himself, poor Sammy just couldn't catch a break.

Mark watched her eat, he was glad Sammy at least seemed to have a appetite. Her and Toby chatted about school while she ate. He was glad Toby was here, Sammy seemed focused on the girl, it kept her mind off what that bastard had done, Mark was also planning a visit to the hospital tomorrow, he was going to have a word with that slime.

"Pup, you have homework?"

The little girl nodded. "Yes sir."

Mark got up and started clearing plates. "Well get to it, then get a bath and get to bed."

Toby sighed, she had come in late because she had went with Scott, she knew it was her bedtime, but she wasn't tired, she got up and took her plate to the sink. "You need help with your homework?" Sammy asked.

"No, it's just practicing my letters."

Sammy nodded and gave the girl a hug. "Go on a finish it and I'll help with you with your bath , just call me when your done."

Toby hugged Sammy and skipped off to do her homework. Sammy walked over and helped Mark do dishes, when they were done Sammy wrapped her arms around him giving him a hug. "I'm going to go help Toby with a bath."

Mark pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Okay. I'm going over to my place for a shower, if you need me , just let me know."

Sammy nodded and walked off, Mark was so worried about her, he just hoped she opened up to him soon.

* * *

Sammy got Toby tucked in and read her a story. She put the book down when she was done and leaned over kissing the little girl. "Sammy I really like it here with you." She said and then as a afterthought. "Mark too, even though he can be grumpy."  
Sammy smiled. "Yeah well he grows on you, believe me, I love him a lot."

Toby sat up, Emma told her that Sammy and Mark should get married. "Are you and Mark going to get married?"

Sammy blushed at that thought, Mark didn't seem the marrying kind."Toby we're just really close friends right now, I don't know what the future holds for us."

Toby hugged Sammy, "I love you."

Sammy smiled and hugged the girl tight. "I love you too honey, now get some sleep."

Toby nodded and cuddled under her covers. Sammy looked at the girl. She had grown attached to the girl in a short time, she couldn't imagine sending her away.

* * *

_Adult sexual content!_

Mark looked up from the TV occasionally to see Sammy working, he wasn't going to push her, he thought about his day tomorrow, he had to go deal with those two assholes, then he had to get down to the gym, he sure didn't want to leave her by herself all day, but she wasn't going to want to sit around at the gym all day while he worked, he supposed she could stay at Scott's all day but he knew she would probably balk at that too.

He wasn't sure what to do, he knew Scott would keep an eye on the place, but he was just worried that her dad might show up, if he did he was crazy, Mark was going to try to knock some sense in the man, he just hoped it was enough to keep him away.

Sammy shut the laptop and went over and climbed in Mark's lap. Mark smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Done for the night."

Sammy just nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. "Mark, I'm so confused, This is why I ran away all those years ago theres just too much drama being around my dad."

Mark kissed her lips and reached one big hand up to play with her short curls. "Shorty we can go to Texas, I have a huge ass house there, just you and me, it'd be great."

Sammy smiled and cuddled deeper in his embrace. "I like it here close to Mia and Seth, I don't feel like running any more, but maybe it would be for the best, what do you think?'

Mark wanted nothing more than to protect her, he could do that better in Texas, but he knew she didn't really want to leave. "I say we stay here, no one will hurt you again, I promise, I'm going to take care of you Sammy."

She smiled. "I know Mark, I'm fine, just tired of all this drama, when I thought I killed Kent today, I was miserable, its not my way to hurt anyone, but then I was proud of myself, the last time he raped me and I couldn't protect myself, but this time, I was able to do something, I stopped him, and it felt good being able to take care of myself."

Mark kissed her lips, he deepened the kiss slightly and pulled back. "I'm proud of you."

Sammy wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want to go to bed."

Mark grinned and stood lifting her in his arms. "Alright little lady."

Mark switched out the lights and carried her across to his side of the house and down to his bedroom.

.He laid her in his bed and shut the door, Sammy watched him shed his clothes and climb in beside her, he pulled her close and closed his eyes. "Hey."

Mark opened his eyes. "What Shorty?"

Sammy blushed glad that it was dark and he couldn't see her. "Don't you want to...well you know..."

Mark was surprised, he figured after today, she wouldn't want him anywhere near her, not in that way. "I just thought after the day you had, you wouldn't want to have sex."

Sammy leaned over on his chest. "Mark, thats has nothing to do with you and me, I love being with you, and I refuse to let Kent or my dad take anymore of my life away."

Mark smiled and rolled over on her kissing her gently, his tongue pushing at her lips. Sammy was eager, she had went ten years without sex and she intended to get plenty of it now, she lifted her legs using her feet to push his boxers down, Mark was drowning in her sweet smell and her sweet kiss, their tongues danced together mating over and over, Mark's hands ran down her arms and then down to her waist pushing her panties down, his finger running over her slick heat.

"Markkk." She whimpered, Mark couldn't stand it, her jumped up and stripped his boxers from around his ankles then he bent over and pulled off her tank top and stripped her panties.

Mark fell back on the bed and pulled her on top of his chest, her knees hugging his chest, she bent and kissed him again, Mark's hands ran down his back, his big hands finding her ass and squeezing. "God you feel good Shorty."

Sammy bent to kiss his neck, licking at his warm skin, Mark's fingers found her wet heat and his fingers stroked and probed leaving her gasping, Mark lifted her hips lowering her on his hard shaft and Sammy moaned as he filled her. "Mark, moreeeee."

"Yeah baby, I'm going to give ya all you can take." He groaned as she sank down on his erection, whimpering as he was fully sheathed in her.

There lips met and Mark cupped the back of her head as he explored her warm mouth with his tongue. Sammy lifted her hips and sank again, Mark thought he would die from pleasure, she was so tight.

Mark let his hands drift down her back, tickling the sensitive skin as his big finger gripped her hips, urging her to move faster, Mark moaned as he felt her wet heat pulsing around his erection. "Goddd Sammmmy."

She smiled as she watched him lose control and she tightened her muscles around his straining shaft. "Sammyyy."

Sammy moved faster up and down over his shaft, groaning herself as her body started to tingle from the intimate content.

Mark guided her hips to a faster pace and his lips closed over one pert nipple. Sammy threw her head back and screamed out in pleasure. "Marrrrrrk."

Mark ripped his lips from her breast and flipped them both over till her was on top, buried between her thighs, he pulled out and shoved himself back hard and fast, Sammy bucked her hips forward to meet his hard thrusts, she whimpered and moaned as he pushed in her tight wet tunnel, over and over, her hands gripping his hard arms. 'Goddddd Markkkk." She whimpered as he invaded her flesh again and again.

Mark bent and captured her lips swallowing her cries of pleasure as they both climaxed.

Mark's hips continued to push in her wet flesh, he couldn't get enough of her, Sammy fell back limp and breathing hard, and Mark bent pressing a kiss to her mouth, he pulled out of her and lay his head on her stomach, his fingers playing with her warm skin, Sammy played with his long hair, twisting the soft strands in her fingers.

Mark looked up at her. "Shorty I really like fucking you."

Sammy far from insulted laughed, she knew Mark wasn't exactly the mushy type. "I kinda enjoy it myself."

Mark realized after he said it, how it might sound, he really loved being with Sammy, but he wasn't one for romantic sentiments.

Mark sighed and rolled over on his back. "C'mere woman." He growled and Sammy scooted in his arms. Sammy leaned over kissing him and then lay back in his arms. Mark tightened his arms around her, he watched her drift off to sleep, he had to take care of her and find a way to keep her dad out of her life.

.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks so much for the reviews!**

* * *

Sammy smiled as Seth told her a story that Scott had told him, Scott was forever entertaining the kids with stories he made up for them, Scott was a born story teller.

Scott fixed them some coffee and brought Sammy a cup. "Thanks, when is Bailey going to be back?"

Scott sat down. "Tomorrow, I cant wait."

Seth jumped up. "Uncle Scott can I play a video game?"

"Sure kid." He said.

"I'm sorry you're stuck babysitting me." Sammy said.

Scott smiled and patted her hand. "We're family Sammy, I don't mind the company."

"Do you know what Mark is up to?" She asked.

Scott just shook his head. "Something to do with his gym, he just didn't want you by yourself today."

Sammy sighed. "Well I cant keep running, I mean I'm going to have to be by myself sometimes."

Scott just smiled. "Not today."

* * *

Mark walked in the hospital and went to the desk asking for Kent's room number.

"Sir he is under arrest, theres a policeman outside his door, you'll have to clear it with him." She said directing him to the room.

Mark stopped and talked to the officer. "Its your girlfriend he attacked right?"

Mark nodded. "I'm not going to hurt him, I just want to have a little talk with him."

The policeman grinned. "Sure have at it."

Mark thanked him and walked in, the blond man had his whole shoulder bandaged. "Who are you?"

Mark came to stand right beside the bed. "Sammy's my woman, and you made a big mistake." Mark said closing his hand over the man's throat. Kent started to choke and Mark kept the pressure up till he turned blue and then let him go. Kent started coughing and trying to pull air in his lungs.

"Now boy, if you come around whats mine again, I might have to kill you, throw you in the swamp for the gators to eat, no one would ever know what happened to you, be a shame huh, if you know whats good for you, you'll stay away from her, you're already in trouble with the police, you don't want to die over this." Mark's voice was calm and that scared Kent even more.

"I wont ever come near her again, I mean it, her dad called me or I would never had thought to even look her up." The man said clearly scared.

Mark sneered at the punk, he wished he could throw this jerk out the window, but he knew that would be going to far.

"You better mean that boy." he said and he put one big hand on Kent's bandaged shoulder and sqeezed as hard as he could, Kent tried to scream, but Mark put the other hand over his mouth. "Boy dont ever even let Sammy cross your mind again or you're dead."

Kent's eyes teared up from the pain and Mark saw blood start seeping throgh the bandage, he hoped the idiot got the message, he let go and gave him one more nasty look.

Mark turned turned around and left the room. Now he had to go visit her dad, and he hoped he could get through to him, without having to break any legs.

* * *

Mark banged on the big door and was surprised when Tyson answered herself. Kent had called him and told him what happened. "Look before you start with me, I was trying to give Sammy what she wanted, I thought she still loved him."

Mark pushed his way in and slammed the door. "That fucker raped her all those years ago, you're a fool, you keep butting in her life making her miserable, I'm warning you it stops now, Sammy is with me, I protect the people I care about, stay out of her life, or I'm going to hurt you."

Tyson turned away from Mark. "I need her, she's my oldest, what can I do to make her come back to me."

Mark shook his head. "Find another heir, she's not it."

Tyson suddenly turned to look at Mark. "I do have another heir, but I want her, she's smart, she'll take care of my company at least until my other heir can."

Mark shook his head. "Mia is off limits too, Kevin don't want you anywhere near his family."

Tyson shook his head. "I wasn't talking about Mia, look I have to talk to you, its obvious, you're with my daughter, theres nothing I can do about it now, just hear me out."

Mark just wanted to leave but he sighed and followed the man in his den. The man pour himself a drink and offerd Mark one, but Mark refused. "I'm in a hurry to get Sammy back in the buisness, theres a reason for that, I have liver cancer, the outlook is not good, I have a few months at best, I had the best doctor's but theres nothing that can be done. I need someone to leave my company to, but at this point, Sammy will just sell it, I don't want that."

Mark sat down, he knew this man had been horrible to the girls, but he knew his Sammy kind hearted to a fault, she would be upset by the news and God only knew how Mia was going to take it. "I don't know what you want from me, Sammy doesn't want the company."

Tyson sighed. "I have people that run the company, but she will need to own it, for now, come with me." He said

Mark just shook his head and followed the man upstairs and down a long hallway. He opened a door into what looked like a play room, there was child sitting on the bed watching TV, a little boy, he looked to be about two or three.

When he saw Tyson, the boy jumped up and crawled his under the bed. "Who is that?" Mark was worried about any kid that was in Tyson's clutches.  
"My son, by one of my affairs, he is my heir, but he is just a baby now, I need someone to keep the company in safe keeping till he's old enough to take over."

Mark sighed, Sammy would have a fit if she found out Tyson had a child in his care, and that her and Mia had a little brother.

"I need my daughter for this one thing.."

"What happens to the kid when you die?" Mark asked.

"My wife is a drunk and a pill head, besides she hates the boy, proof I cheated on her, anyway, thats out of the question, that why I wanted Sammy married and with children, then she could raise Joseph, keep the company in tact for him."

"What about the boy's mother?" mark asked.

"She sold him for plenty of money, she dont want him, she got pregnant on purpose, to extort money from me." Tyson said.

Mark made a split decision , because he knew Sammy well, he knew what she would want. "I'll get Sammy to take the company, you make sure you have people to run it, she may at some point decide she will take part in it, she may not, but she'll keep it in the family till your boy is old enough to run it."

Tyson smiled, he knew everyone had a price. "So how much money do you want."

Mark shook his head wanting to beat the man, and would have if he wasn't already dying. "No money, give me the boy today, let Sammy have him now, do that and we have a deal."

"No, why would you even think I'll hand him over now."

Mark shrugged. "Then sell your company to some stranger."

Tyson sighed. "Fine fine, I need her over here tomorrow to sign some paperwork for the company, I need to change my will."

"I'll take the boy today." Mark wanted him out of here, the boy was scared to death of Tyson, he could smell the fear on the toddler.

Tyson looked at Mark. "Why do you give a damn about my son?"

"Because Sammy will, and that makes it important to me." Mark said.

Tyson shrugged, the boy was a pain in his ass anyway, but he was his son, his only male heir, he knew Sammy would take care of him and make sure the company was intact for him. "Joseph get out here." Tyson boomed.

Mark heard the little boy whimper but he came crawling out, he had Sammy's blue eyes, but he black curly hair, Mark wondered if he was losing his mind, he didn't even like kids and he was getting a houseful, he wanted Sammy that meant he would have to put up with this kid. Toby was another story, she was just temporary, this was forever, he shook the thoughts from his mind, right now he just needed to get this kid away from this creep.

Tyson glared at the boy. "Don't move."

Mark saw the kid look terrified and it made him mad to think Tyson had been smacking him around, Mark wasn't adverse to spanking a kid if they needed it, but from what Kevin told him, Tyson had beat the girls."I'll need you to get with your lawyer and sign custody over to Sammy, tomorrow."

Tyson looked at Mark. "Fine you have me over a barrel."

Tyson grabbed the boy. "I'll teach you to run from me." Before he could touch the boy Mark grabbed his arm. "Do it, and i'll beat your ass." He growled dangerously.

Tyson let the boy go, he knew Mark wasnt joking. "I'll have the maid pack his clothes.

Mark watched him leave and bent down in front of the crying boy. "Hey Joey, stop crying, I'm taking you to live with your sister, she's going to love you."

The little boy looked scared and confused. Mark held out his big hands to the boy, he looked at the tattoos on Mark's arms curious. "Wat dat?" He asked still sniffling back tears.

"It's a tattoo."

Joseph nodded."I wike Joey."

"Okay well Joey it is then." Mark said.

Joey walked into Mark's arms and Mark picked him up as the maid come in. "Get his clothes packed quick."

She nodded and scurried about getting the clothes packed in a suitcase, she handed it to Mark and Mark carried the boy downstairs and into the den. "I'll be back tomorrow, with Sammy, have all the papers you need ready."

Tyson nodded and poured another drink. "Fine."

"How old is the boy?" Mark asked.

"He's two and half." Tyson answered and turned away.

Mark turned and left carrying the small boy out to his truck, he knew he needed a car seat, but he would have to get that later, right now he just needed to get the boy home to Sammy and let her know what was going on.

Mark set the boy down for a moment and opened his truck, he set the suitcase in the back and set the boy in the front seat, putting the seat belt around him. "Ready Joey?"

The boy nodded and Mark shut the door, he just hoped he had done the right thing.

* * *

Mark knew he had done the right thing, Sammy had crushed her brother to her kissing his little face and then hugged Mark. "Thank you Mark."

"Shorty I wasn't sure what to do , but I knew you would want him out of there, I figured having to keep tabs on your dad's company was a small price to pay to get him away from that jerk."

They watched Scott and Seth playing with the toddler with a set of blocks, Seth thought it was funny that his Uncle was a baby, he was getting a kick out of that.

Sammy looked at Mark who had her hand clasped tightly in his. She loved this big man so much, he was a prince, she was so much in love with him, she didn't really care if he loved her or not, she knew Mark would do anything for her, he took care of her, that was enough.

Mia and Kevin joined them when they got home and Mia was shocked to find out they had a little brother, she hugged Mark and thanked him for his quick thinking and getting the boy out of there , Joey was a little overwhelmed by all the attention, especially when Emma and Toby came in , they thought he was cute and took turns carrying him around, around five, he started crying and ran straight into Mark's arms. "Whats wrong Joey?" Mark asked rocking the small boy.

Kevin and Scott looked at Mark and each other, this was new for him, he seemed so natural with Joey, Mia too was looking at Mark with curiosity, seems their resident grump was becoming a family man without even realizing it.

The little boy just hid his face in Mark's shirt and he stood. "Pup, get your back pack, c'mon Sammy he's had a big day, he's tired."

Sammy smiled, she hugged Mia and Kevin, gave the kids a kiss and gave Scott a hug. "See you guys tomorrow."

Kevin looked at his wife. "Baby girl, you okay?"

Mia knew he was worried about how she was taking the news her dad was dying, she wasn't sure how she was taking it yet. She just nodded and went to get her son, she just wanted to go home.

* * *

Mark carried the small boy in the house and Toby followed putting her backpack in the living room. Sammy came in behind them. "I bet he's hungry, I'll start dinner, Toby get busy and get your homework done." Mark said.

Toby sighed and flopped down at the table in the living room pulling her homework out.

Mark set Joey at the table and gave him a small cup of milk and he and Sammy started dinner, Toby came in. "I'm done."

"Okay, you can watch TV till dinners done." Mark said as he put chicken and rice in the oven, Sammy made a salad and threw some rolls in the oven.

"Can I take Joey with me." Toby asked. Sammy nodded. "Sure, just keep an eye on him."

Toby nodded and held out her arms for the toddler. "C'mon Joey, we'll watch cartoons."

The little boy smiled and let Toby carry him from the room.

Mark turned and wrapped his arms around Sammy. "How you holding up?"

Sammy laid her head on Mark chest. "Truthfully I don't know how to feel about dad, I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone, but he's still the same bastard, I don't know."

Mark just held her for a minute. "I'm here for you Sammy."

She nodded, Mark was everything to her, because of him she was living again.

* * *

"Toby bedtime." Mark said gathering up Joey to give him a bath. He was going to put the boy in Sammy's bedroom since she wasn't exactly sleeping there anymore.

Toby looked up at Mark, she was playing games on Sammy's PC. "Why it's Friday, I don't have to go to school tomorrow."

Mark stopped. "Did I ask for lip, Pup?"

Toby jumped up. "I hate you." She said and ran from the room. Sammy walked over to Mark. "Mark can you try to be a little less brusque with her, it is Friday night, she's playing quietly?"

Mark sighed. "You're right, I don't mean to be, I'm just not great with kids."

Sammy smiled. "You're just fine with kids, you get better the more you practice, didn't you once say that to me?"

Mark smiled and kissed her. "Yeah I did , I'll go talk to her." He headed down the hall with Joey in tow and stopped in Toby's room, she was sitting on the bed pouting. "Pull your lip in, you can stay up longer, go on and play."

Toby looked up at him. "I got another gold star today."

"Thats great pup, now I have to give Joey a bath, go play." he said and left.

Toby sighed, he just didn't like her no matter what.

Mark put the boy in the bathtub and gave him a bath, he smiled, Joey was a good little kid, he didn't understand Tyson, the poor baby , he was glad he got him out of there, he got the boy out and dried him off, putting a pair of pajamas on him, he combed the boy's curly hair and carried him down the hallway to Sammy's bedroom. "Ready to go to sleep Joey?"

The boy nodded and scooted under the cover. "Night Joey."

"Nite nite ." The boy said, Sammy came and smiled and bent down brushing a kiss on her brother's head. "Nite Sammy."

"Goodnight Joey." She said

Sammy smiled and sat down beside Mark. "Thank you."

Mark put his arms around her hugging her close, he felt so complete with her, he had never felt like this about a woman before, he just hoped Sammy felt the same way he did.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for the great reviews!**

* * *

Mark kissed Sammy again. "You sure you guys will be okay?" He asked for the tenth time.

Sammy smiled and hugged Mark tight, Mark had took her this morning to sign the custody papers and the other papers about her taking over her dad's business, it had gone quick and she got out of there as quick as possible. She might feel bad about her dad dying but not enough to want to be around him.

"Mark I know you have the gym to work on, go, we''ll be fine, I'm going to take them down to the beach in a while, we'll have fun, Scott and Kevin are home, if I need anything all I have to do is call them."

Mark nodded. "Okay, I'll be home this evening." He kissed her again and stopped long enough to tell the kids bye.

Sammy shook her head, she knew Mark worried about her, but he had to have his own life, he couldn't just be stuck as her babysitter all the time. "All right, you guys, let's head to the beach , Mia and Bailey are going to meet us down their with Seth and Emma."

Toby jumped up and ran to put on her bathing suit, Sammy took Toby and helped him get dressed in some shorts since he didn't have swimming trucks yet.

They headed down to the beach and met Bailey and Mia, the girls laid big towels out and the kids grabbed buckets and got near the edge of the water building sand castles, they all grinned as Joey tried to help, doing more damage than helping, but the kids were patient with him and just laughed at his antics. "So how is things with you and Mark?" Bailey asked.

Sammy blushed. "Umm well.." She trailed off and Mia looked at her sister. "How is he?" She asked giggling.

Sammy lifted her head still blushing. "Abnormally large." She said grinning.

The three women burst into laughter. Mia nodded. "I know what you mean, Kevin is just so yummy in bed." She said with a dreamy look on her face.

Bailey grinned. "Scott is out of this world before him I had no clue sex could be so good."

Sammy smiled. "I'm so happy right now, I got Mark and Toby and now Joey, life just seems perfect."

Mia and Bailey smiled. Now Mark just needed to get with the program and pop the question, hopefully he would dig his head out of his butt soon.

* * *

Sammy took the kids home around two and fed them lunch, then she decided it would be a good idea to bake cookies, she figured it couldn't be that hard. They made a run to the grocery store. The kids had fun, Toby got one of the small shopping carts and Joey rode the big cart, Sammy let Toby grab the stuff off the shelf and she loaded her small shopping cart first.

She bought the kids whatever they asked for, Toby walked out with four boxes of cereal, they bought enough stuff to make cookies for a year.

Joey was busy eating a bag of candy that Sammy had got him. Sammy smiled as she loaded the kids in her car, this was fun. They got home and got everything unloaded and Sammy pulled two chairs close to the table so the kids could stand on them and help, she grabbed the recipes she had downloaded and printed form the Internet.

The recipes were for small amounts of cookies, she shrugged, she would just add more of each ingredient. "Toby just use the whole bag of flour."

Toby nodded and ripped the bag open, managing to dump a lot on the floor. "Its okay we got more." Sammy said smiling

* * *

Mark walked in dead tired, they had done a lot of heavy work today tearing out walls and getting ready to rebuild the place from the inside., he walked through the connecting door, just to let Sammy know he was home before he took a shower. He walked back to the kitchen and stopped, it looked like food bomb had went off, there was flour, eggshells, chocolate chips everywhere, pans and pans of cookies, some burnt, some edible, some just looked like one big cookie had melted together.

Then he directed his gaze to the three of them, they were all covered in chocolate, flour and God knows what else, they were in the floor with about four boxes of cereal opened and they were throwing it at each other, laughing so hard they could barely sit up, he figured the kids were on a sugar high that would last all night.

Mark knew he was lost at that moment, he should be pissed, he should be mad, he should put Sammy across his knee for loading the kids with sugar all day, but all he could think was how pretty she was , how happy the kids looked and how the kids loved her already, they were looking at her like she was some sort of goddess, and hell so was he.

Toby looked up and saw him and froze and then Sammy and Joey, the smile left their faces like they knew he was going to explode, but he just smiled. "Looks like you guys had a good day."

The two kids looked wary like they were waiting for him to yell, but Sammy got up walking over and hugged him. "Yeah we did, I know its a mess, but Ill clean it up."

Mark bent and pressed his lips to hers, she tasted like chocolate cookies, her mouth was warm and welcoming, he remembered the kids and pulled back. "Let me get a shower, you bath those two and I'll help with the kitchen."

Sammy nodded and let him go, she gather the two kids to bath them. "Is he mad?" Toby asked.

"No, he's fine, don't worry."

Toby hoped so, she already felt like Mark didn't really want her here, any little thing might make him get rid of her.

Mark and Sammy cleaned the kitchen while the kids watched cartoons, when they got done, they just fixed sandwiches for dinner, since Mark knew the kids wouldn't eat much.

After dinner, Sammy got on her laptop to work and Mark settled in the recliner to watch ESPN with Joey in his lap, the boy seemed content to sit there and watch TV with him.

Toby jumped up as soon as Mark changed the channel. "I was watching Disney!"

Mark gave her a look. "You've watched enough TV, go read, or practice your writing, if you really have to watch TV, go over in my living room and watch TV." He said.

Toby knew she should just go over and watch at his place but her mouth and temper got the best of her. "Why do I hafta go over there, I live here, you don't!" She yelled.

Mark gave her a warning look. "Pup you need to calm down and do what I said,"

Toby was getting mad, he ignored her, until she was bad, he didn't even like her. "I don't want to, you're a asshole, I'm not doing what you say, just go to hell."

By that time Sammy was up. "Toby go to your room, you know better than to talk like that."

"I don't have to!" She yelled.

Mark sat the boy down and got up, but Joey tugged on his shirt. "No bet." He pleaded and started to cry.

Mark sighed and picked the kid up hugging him. "I'm not going to use a belt on her Joey, promise okay?"

The little boy nodded tearfully, Mark realized Joey would have some deep seated issues for a while after the way Tyson had treated him.

Toby was regretting her outburst when she seen how upset Joey was, Mark had spanked her but he wouldn't hurt her and she knew that, but Joey didn't ,she felt awful for upsetting him.

Mark handed the boy to Sammy and looked at Toby. "Up to your room."

The girl took off and Sammy looked at Mark. "Mark don't be to hard on her?"

Mark looked at Sammy , he didn't want to upset her, but if she had her way the kids would be running things, she was just to kind hearted for her own good. "Sammy I was raised a certain way, disrespect is high on my list of things you just don't do, if you let her get away with it, it'll just get worse."

Sammy knew he was right, but she didn't like the thought of Toby crying or being upset."

Mark bent and kissed Sammy gently. "It'll be okay."

* * *

Mark looked at the hysterically crying girl, and just wanted to hide. He gave her six swats and she acted like he had beat her with a stick. "Pup, quit it, Sammy is gonna think I tried to kill you."

The little girl just cried harder, Mark shook his head, living with two women was making him nuts they were so damn emotional. "Pup, c'mon, stop crying."

Toby was in the middle of her bed where Mark had set her and her tears just came harder, he wanted to curse but he bit his tongue. "Just tell me whats wrong, you're just making yourself sick."

Mark hated the pleading tone his voice had taken on, this is why he had never had kids. Mark sighed all this mushy share your feelings crap was killing him. "Pup, talk to me." He lifted the girl in his arms and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shirt.

Mark rolled his eyes, but he rubbed her back and held her till she calmed down. Mark lifted her chin. "Pup we can sit here all night and I can guess whats wrong with you, or you can save us both some time, and you can just tell me."

Toby sniffed and dropped her head again. "Why don't you ever tuck me in or tell me goodnight?"

Mark sighed and wanted to scream, all this because he didn't tuck her in, hell he never really thought about it, but he guessed it must be pretty important to her, if she was showing her ass and throwing fit over it.

"Pup, I just never thought about it, Sammy usually does all that and truthfully, I didn't figure you liked me all that much." He said , the little girl still sat on his lap hugging him. "I like you Mark, I just don't think you like me."

Mark wondered why women of all ages had to hash through all this emotional shit. "Pup I like you just fine, from now on I'll tuck you in , okay?"

Toby looked up at him. "I made special cookies for you, Sammy put them up for you."

Mark looked at the kid and realized she did like him, she was protecting herself from being hurt, scared to show her feelings. "Thanks Pup, we'll have them as soon as we go back down atairs."

Toby nodded. "Are you going to spank me again?  
Mark wrapped his arms around her. "No, but Pup, you cant talk to Sammy like you did, you have to think about Joey too, he heres you cuss, he thinks its okay and he does it, no more cussing, I mean it."

Toby nodded. "I'm sorry Mark."

Mark nodded. "I think maybe you need to apologize to Sammy too."

"Okay, I will, I love Sammy I didn't mean to yell at her." She said. Mark knew she did, the kid just had a bad temper sometime.

"So we ready to go back downstairs?" he asked.

Toby nodded and Mark stood with the girl and carried her down to the kitchen where they got the cookies she put back for him, they sat down and shared them and Toby looked at him eagerly. "Their very good pup, thank you."

Toby flushed with pleasure. "You're welcome."

Mark might be a little uncomfortable trying to be Mr. Nice guy with the kids, but the smile on Toby's face was worth it. "Can I sit on your lap too, with Joey?"

Mark smiled. "Yeah sure Pup."

Toby smiled and practically skipped after him, Sammy tried hard not to laugh at the big man as both kids wallowed on him while he tried to watch ESPN, the two kids giggled and talked and hugged on Mark, but to his credit, he showed infinite patience even if he did look a little put out.

They both got up and put the kids to bed, and Toby looked so happy when Mark tucked her in and kissed her Sammy thought she would burst, Sammy knew how she felt though, every bit of affection Mark showered on her made her happier than anything.

Sammy walked down the hall with Mark , he took her hand. "Ready for bed." He asked grinning. Sammy just nodded and followed him.

* * *

_Warning Adult sexual content!_

Sammy moaned as Mark moved in her, Sammy's arms were wrapped as far around the big man as she could get.

Mark kissed her as he pushed in her slick heat, he could never get enough of her. "Feels so goood Shorty."

Their tongues tangled as their bodies joined, Sammy groaned deep in her throat as his shaft filled her again and again. "Marrrrrrk." She called out as she thrust her hips up to meet his. "Thats it baby, come hard for me." He growled.

Sammy gazed up in his green eyes and cried out as she came, her hands gripping him tight. Mark's lips pressed to hers and he thrust hard and fast as his body lost control to the the pleasure that washed over him. "Sammmmmy." he groaned against her mouth as he climaxed, thrusting hard in her slick tunnel, emptying his seed deep in her womb.

Mark kissed her and laid his forehead to hers and gazed in her blue eyes. "Wow."

Sammy grinned. "Yeah wow pretty much covers it."

Mark did as he always did after they made love, he slid down her body and laid his head on her stomach, one hand curled around her waist the other playing with the skin of her stomach.

Sammy ran her hand through his long hair stroking his scalp, he sighed and nuzzled closer. Sammy loved this time with him, Mark was a tough , grump for the most part, but when they made love and he lay on her belly like this, he left himself vulnerable to her, she knew how hard that was for him, how much he trusted her.

Mark kissed her navel, his big fingers stroking her warm skin. "Shorty I love you girl."

Sammy smiled her fingers running through his long hair. "I kinda figured you did, why else would you put up with me?"

Mark gave her thigh a smack. "Nothing to put up with, you're an amazing woman, don't put yourself down."

Sammy just smiled . "Yes sir."

Mark lay there a few minutes just loving the feel of her fingers on his scalp, then he looked up. "Well?"

Sammy looked down at him. "Well what." She asked grinning.

Mark growled at her scooting back up on top of her. "You know what?"

Sammy giggled and wrapped her arms around him. He looked so cute pouting. "You're adorable when you pout."

Mark gave her a glare. "I don't pout woman."

"Uhh huh, looks like a pout to me." She teased.

Mark sighed and kissed her gently, maybe she didn't feel the same way he did. Sammy pulled his forehead down to touch hers."Silly, you should know I'm madly in love with you."

Mark relaxed and then smiled. "Well I kinda suspected..."

Sammy looked up in his deep green eyes. "I love you Mark."

He smiled and kissed her lips softy. "I love you too Shorty."


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the review!**

* * *

Sammy got up and smiled as Joey ran around the kitchen with his toy airplane making plane noises, over the last couple of weeks, he had become right at home, and acted like this is where he had always been.

Sammy was glad to see Toby and Mark getting closer, Mark seemed to realize his importance to the girl, and had started setting aside a hour a day just for him and her, they would walk on the beach and talk, she would smiled when she seen the way Toby looked at Mark, he was a easy man to love, she realized that herself.

Joey adored him, they had somehow become a family.

The only dark part of her world was her father, he worsened everyday, Mark had taken on the task of going to visit the man, only because he knew if he didn't Sammy would, and he didn't think she was able to deal with her father.

Mark would stop by and check on him and report back to Mia and Sammy on his condition.

* * *

'Well who would have thought the only visitor I would get would be you." Tyson said from his bed, he was worsening quickly and had been bedridden for the last week, he was on oxygen and painkillers all the time now.

Mark just shrugged and sat back in the chair. "Sammy and Mia want to know how you are, thats why I'm here."

Tyson smirked. "Touching, so how is my son?"

"Happy." Mark said.

Tyson took a deep breath, he was in a lot of pain. "I hear that my daughter has taken some orphan in."

Mark just nodded. "Yeah."

Tyson rolled his eyes. "Why don't you get busy and give Samantha some children of her own."

Mark looked out the window. "Because I haven't asked her to marry me yet?"

"Why?" The old man asked curious.

Mark shrugged. "I'm not good enough for her, for one thing, I'm not sure I'm meant to be a father, kids bug me."

Tyson sat up coughing a bit and Mark handed him some water. "Yet you take my son out of here, why?"

"Because I knew Sammy would want him, as long as she's happy thats all that counts." He said.

Tyson set the water down and looked at Mark. "Ask her, to marry you, you're just wasting time."

Mark snorted. "Like you want me to marry Sammy, yeah right."

"I admit, you wouldn't be my first choice, but she wants you, why waste time." Tyson said.

Mark just glared at the man. "What the hell do you know about love old man, you're in this bed dying alone."

"Maybe more than you think, I'm tired, leave." Tyson said laying back and closing his eyes.

Mark got up and left, he hated seeing the old bastard, but he knew the girls wanted to know how he was doing, he did it for them.

* * *

Sammy went and picked up Toby from school, she had become more confident in her driving skills, Joey chattered from his car seat and she smiled back at him. "Sissy." He squealed when he seen Toby running toward the car.

Toby jumped in the front and turned around. "Hey Joey."

"Sissy miss you." He said kicking his chubby legs.

"I missed you too." She said putting her seatbelt on.

"How was your day?" Sammy asked.

"Good, I'm reading really good now, I can read all by myself."

Sammy leaned over to hug Sammy. "I'm really proud of you, you're doing so good honey."

The little girl beamed, she couldn't wait to tell Mark.

Sammy frowned when she pulled in the driveway, there was strange car there and a man standing on the porch.

The man walked down to her car. "Ms. Black? I'm Walter Jones, from social services, I have to talk to you."

Sammy nodded. "Let me get the kids settled so we can talk."

Sammy had a bad feeling and she got the kids out, she just hoped they weren't going to take Toby, she had come to love the girl so much, she didn't think she could let her go.

The kids had a snack and sat in front of the TV and Sammy made some coffee and her and Mr. Jones at at the table.

"I'll get right to the point, Toby's mother is in rehab, she gets out in a week and she wants Toby back." He said.

Sammy jumped up. "You're joking, she dumped her on a public beach."

"I know how you feel, but my hands are tied, its the law and long as her mother gets off the drugs and can take care of her the court will order you to turn her over." Mr. Jones said.

Sammy wanted to scream. "So no matter what I do, its hopeless, she'll get her back?"

"Yes Ma'am, you can get a lawyer if you want, but he'll tell you the same, I don't like this either, but its the law."

Sammy showed the man out and walked back to the kitchen in a daze, she called Scott and told him what was going on, he told her he would see what he could find out and get back to her.

Sammy put on a act in front of the kids, she didn't want to upset Toby till she found out if there was anything she could do to stop this.

* * *

Mark came in and the kids jumped up hugging him, he bent down to talk to them a minute and then went to find Sammy, she was in the kitchen and as soon as she seen Mark she fell in his arms, he knew there was something wrong. "Shorty whats wrong?"

Sammy felt the words spill out of mouth is a rush telling Mark what the social worker had said, Mark felt like someone had punched him in the gut, he hadn't realized how attached to Toby he was until he heard they might lose her. "Did you call Scott?"

"Yes, he's going to look into it, we can get a lawyer, but the social worker said they always rule in favor of the parents,'

Mark hugged Sammy, he knew she must be devastated , "Well get a lawyer and at least try, okay?"

Sammy nodded but she had a feeling this was one thing Mark couldn't fix.

* * *

Mark had spent the afternoon on the phone with his lawyer and was beginning to realize it was about hopeless, Sammy was a foster parent she didn't stand a chance in court. He didn't want to tell her that, but he wasn't going to stat being dishonest at this point in their relationship.

They tried to put on a happy front in front of the kids, Sammy bathed them and put them in bed and Mark came in behind her, he tucked Joey in and hugged the boy. "Night little man."

"Nite nite Mark."

Mark got up and walked down the hall to Toby's room. Toby grinned when he came in and sat down on the side of the bed. "Tomorrow is Saturday, do you have to go to the gym?"

Mark smiled, he finally had the gym open and up and running. "I guess I could take the day off."

Toby smiled and looked up at Mark. "Can we go to the boardwalk, you and Sammy and Me and Joey, Please?"

Mark smiled and tucked the covers around her. "Well seeing how you've been extra good all week, I think we might do that."

The little girl sat up and threw her arms around Mark hugging him tight. "I love you."

Mark closed his eyes hugging her close for a second. He realized he loved this little girl too. "I love you too pup."

Mark tucked her in and walked down the hall to the living room, for once Sammy wasn't working, she was sitting on the couch just staring out the window. Mark sat down beside her. "Shorty, I'm sorry, it looks hopeless."

Sammy nodded. "Scott called and said the same thing, they have a court hearing for the mother next week, we can go and say our piece, but it wont change things."

Mark pulled her in his arms, he hated not being able to save her this pain, he felt useless, there was nothing he could do. "Shorty, I wish I could do something."

Sammy hugged him., "I know Mark, theres nothing either one of us can do, we'll tell her after the hearing, just to make sure thats going to happen."

Mark nodded in agreement, he hated to think how Toby was going to react.

* * *

Mark and Sammy both spent the next week, trying to put on a good front so Toby wouldn't know what was going on, but they were upset, Kevin, Mia , Scott and Bailey, were all upset about the turn of events, they talked to various lawyers, but found they all said the same thing. They all knew that Emma and Seth were going to be upset also. But at this point it was hopeless.

The day for the hearing came and they sent Toby to school and Bailey kept Joey for them. Sammy was all nerves, but Mark held her hand as they walked into the courtroom. They had a seat, Sammy looked at Toby's mother, she was surprised she looked so normal, in fact Toby looked a lot like her, but she reminded herself, this was the woman that dumped Toby on the beach, and forced her to live out of garbage cans so she wouldn't starve.

Mark kept his big hand over hers, as the judge began the hearing, the case worker for Dawn Johnson, got up and started on her case, as to why Dawn deserved Toby back, she went on about how she had got help for her drug problem, and that she would be supervised with the child for six months.

Then Toby's social worker took the stand and told how well Toby was doing in her new home, and that she was happy and well adjusted and had extended family, she made a good case but to no avail, the judge ordered Toby be turned over at social services the same next in one week.

Sammy jumped up and ran from the courtroom crying, Mark followed and found her outside at his truck, crying her eyes out. Mark pulled her in his arms. "Get it out of your system Shorty, we cant do this in front of Toby, you know that."

Sammy nodded. "I know, we're going to have to hope and pray her mother has changed, that this is good for her, but Mark, I just know its not so, I'm scared for her."

Mark held her tight, he wanted to cry himself, but he had to be strong for Sammy and Toby. "Social services is going to keep a eye on her for six months, if her mother starts acting stupid, they'll get her out of there." he said hoping he sounded convincing.

She nodded. "I hope you're right."

Mark and Sammy decided to tell Toby that night, they wanted her to have the whole week to prepare, so they put Joey to bed and called Toby over to sit between them. Sammy just looked at Mark pleading with her eyes for him to tell her. "Pup, you know how when you came here, the police wanted to see if you had any family looking for you?"

Toby nodded. "Yes Sir."

Mark put his arm around her. "Toby your Mama has been in rehab, you know what that is?"

Toby looked down at her hands. "Yes, it means she is getting off the drugs."

Mark nodded. "Well the judge thinks she is a lot better and they want you to go live with her."

Tears welled in the girls eyes. "No Mark, I wanna stay with you and Sammy and Joey."

Mark felt his heart breaking, at first he hadn't even liked Toby, now he didn't know what life around here would be like without her. "C'mere Pup." He pulled the little girl in his lap and wrapped his big arms around her. "Sammy and me, we love you , like our own kid, we don't want you to go, but the court says you have to."

Toby buried her face against his chest and cried, she felt like dying, she loved it here, Mark and Sammy were like her daddy and mommy.

Sammy rubbed her back and looked at Mark, she had tears in her eyes but she knew she couldn't fall apart that would just make Toby more upset. Toby looked up at Sammy. "Why would they send me back there, she just dumped me on the beach, its not fair, she wont take care of me."

Mark wanted to agree with her, but he couldn't voice his doubts in front of the girl. "Pup, the social services are going to keep a eye on you, if anything goes wrong, they'll get you out of there."

Toby climbed over in Sammy's lap hugging her. "Please don't make me go Sammy, I'll be good."

Sammy had to do her best not to burst into tears. "Honey you are good, I want to to memorize my and Mark's cell number, baby if you ever need us, we'll come get you."

Toby cried and wrapped herself around Sammy holding her tight. "I love you Sammy, do you promise if anything bad happens, you and Mark will come get me."

Mark bent and kissed the girl on the forehead. "We promise baby."

Mark wrapped his arms around both of them, for once in his life, he couldn't make things right, he had no clue what to do.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you for the great reviews!**

* * *

Sammy sighed as she and Mark made breakfast for the kids, it had been a depressing week and it had went all too fast.

Last night Emma and Seth, along with their parents spent the entire evening at Sammy's house, one last day to spend with Toby, Emma and Seth had taken the news hard, and Emma had cried last night when she said goodbye to Toby.

Sammy didn't think that Joey really under stood that Toby was going away for good, he was so little, he didn't get the concept.

Breakfast was as depressing as it could be, Toby only picked at her food. "Eat some Pup." Mark encouraged.

She ate a few more bites and put her fork down. Mark sighed, this was killing him.

Sammy looked like she would burst into tears at any moment.

Mark cleaned up, while Sammy got up and packed up the rest of Toby's things, she brought them down to the living room and smiled as she watched Toby reading to Joey, he sat in her lap as she read one of Bailey's books to him.

Mark walked in and put his arm around her. "I'm going to take her down to social services, you stay here with Joey."

Sammy nodded, she knew she would do the girl no good by falling apart.

Toby hugged Sammy trying not to cry, she had promised herself she would try to be brave for Sammy and Mark, but they couldn't completely hide the tears in both of their eyes and they hugged. "I love you Toby."

"I love you too Sammy." The little girl said.

Mark looked at Sammy wanting more than anything to be able to keep Toby, for himself, yeah, he loved the kid, but for Sammy too, to wipe the devastated look out of her eyes. He bent and kissed Sammy and then lifted Toby in his arms and left.

Sammy shut the door and walked over the the sofa sinking on it in tears, she didn't want to give Toby up, somewhere along the way, Toby had become her daughter.

* * *

Mark parked the truck in the parking lot of social services and turned to look at Toby. "Phone numbers?"

Toby recited them and Mark smiled. "Good girl."

He got out of the truck and went over opening her door. Mark unlatched her seat belt and lifted her in his arms hugging her and grabbed her suitcase. He carried her over to a bench outside the building and sat down with her in his lap. "Pup, I'm not very good at talking about how I feel..."

Toby smiled. "I know Sammy told me, but she says that don't mean you don't care."

Mark smiled and nodded. "She's right, but before I take you in there, I want you to know, that in my heart, you're my daughter, you always will be, no matter where you go and what you do, you have a daddy, okay?"

Toby smiled and hugged Mark. "Thank you, I'll keep wishing your my daddy and Sammy is my mommy and maybe it will come true."

Mark picked her up and kissed her once more before going through the door. He was expecting her to cry or throw a fit before he handed her over to her social worker but she just jumped in his arms one last time. "I'll be brave just for you daddy." She whispered in his ear.

Mark hugged her and set her down and he turned and left, he didn't want the kid to see him cry.

* * *

Sammy fielded calls from Bailey and Mia, both worried about her, she assure them she would be fine, she just spent the morning playing with Joey, who kept asking when sissy would be home, it broke her heart every time he asked.

Mark was taking a lot longer than she thought, she knew he just had to drop her off, but the morning wore on, and he wasn't back yet, she began to worry.

Then again maybe he just needed some time on his own.

* * *

Mark parked his truck, he had a busy day, but he knew what he needed to do, he walked in and called out to Sammy. She came from the kitchen carrying Joey. "Is everything okay?"

Mark nodded and pulled her in his arms. "Go get a dress on, well wait hold on." He took Joey and set the boy on the couch. "Sit there a minute buddy."

Joey smiled and nodded. Mark pulled something out of his pocket and he took Sammy's hand and cleared his throat nervously. "Shorty, I love you, you love me right?"

Sammy nodded smiling up at him. "Yeah okay, well I figure since we both feel the same way, well what I mean is...aw shit."

Sammy smiled and reached up pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Umm yeah, I guess I should do this right." Mark dropped to one knee. "Shorty marry me, I don't want to wait another minute, marry me tonight." He said and slid a ring on her finger.

Sammy was shocked and just stared for a moment trying to figure out what just happened.

Mark got up and pulled her in his arms. "Say yes, or I'll spank your butt right now, it was hard enough working up the nerve to ask you." He growled.

Sammy started laughing. "Yes."

Mark grinned and kissed her, then pulled back. "Go get a dress on, I took care of everything, I know you would probably like a big wedding, but for right now, how about just you and me and Joey?"

Sammy smiled and took off down the hall, she just wanted to be his wife, just the three of them seemed perfect to her, she just wished Toby could be here, Mia would kill her, but right now she just wanted to be Mark's wife.

Sammy was amazed that Mark had taken care of everything, from the license to the minister, she looked at Mark. "How did you swing this." She asked as they stood in the front of the very small church waiting for the minister.

Mark grinned. "A very large donation to a very small church, and I used some of Scott's connections at the courthouse for the license.

Sammy just grinned and took his big hand kissing it. The Minister walked in and Mark took Joey's hand and pulled him to stand between them, he giggled and looked up at Mark and Sammy.

"Hello Mr. Calaway, this must be your lovely bride."

Mark shook the mans hand. "Yes sir, this is Sammy Black, Sammy is this Issac Matthews."

Sammy smiled and shook his hand and he bent down and shook Joey's hand saying hi to him, the little boy smiled and said hello. "If you guys are ready, my wife will serve as the witness, and Mr. Calaway has already picked out the ceremony he wants.

His wife came out and brought Sammy a small bouquet of flowers. "Thank you." Sammy said smiling.

The minster stood in front of them "It is one of life's richest surprises when the accidental meeting of two life paths lead them to proceed together along the common path as husband and wife. It is one of life's finest experiences when a casual relationship grows into a permanent bond of love. This meeting and this growth bring us together today. "

Mark and Sammy both bent to take their rings from Joey's little open palm, he grinned up at them and Mark tousled his hair.

"Mark and Sammy , will you take vows here before all of us which symbolize the manifested vows you have already made and will continue to make to each other throughout your lives? "

"We will." They said together.

"I, Mark take you,Sammy, as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, asking that you be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, in all the ways that life may find us. " Mark said smiling down at her beautiful bride.

"I, Sammy, take you, Mark, as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, asking that you be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, in all the ways that life may find us. " Sammy said grinning from ear to ear.

"The circle is the symbol of the sun, earth, and universe. It is the symbol of peace. Let this ring be the symbol of unity and peace in which your two lives are joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, return unto one another and to your togetherness ." The minister said

Mark slid the ring on Sammy's finger."I give you this ring to wear upon your hand as a symbol of our unity in steadfast love "

Sammy smiled through the happy tears in her eyes. "I give you this ring to wear upon your hand as a symbol of our unity in steadfast love "

" Inasmuch as you two have come before God and have declared your love and devotion to each other, I now greet you with them as husband and wife, You may kiss your bride. "

Mark smiled and drew Sammy close in his arms and bent , pressing his lips to her, in the gentlest of kisses, Sammy wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer, kissing him back.

When Mark finally pulled away, he smiled and and lifted Joey. "Well Mrs. Calaway, lets go home."

Sammy smiled and wrapped them both in a hug, the only thing that would make her happier was if Toby was here.

* * *

Mark and Sammy sat in the living room on the floor with Joey in between them eating Pizza, while Joey watched cartoons. Mark leaned over and kissed Sammy. "Shorty, you deserve a real wedding and a honeymoon, I just didn't want to wait, I realized when we lost Toby, life is to short to wait."

Sammy smiled and leaned against him. "Mark, the wedding was perfect, this is perfect, being here with you and Joey, seems right."

Joey looked up at Mark. "Kiss Sammy." He said giggling.

Mark tickled the boy and Joey squealed. "Yes, I kiss Sammy, everyday, for the rest of my life."

Sammy watched the two playing and couldn't help but think of Toby, she missed the girl so bad, she sighed, if only Toby could be here with them.

* * *

_Adult sexual content!_

Mark wrapped his arms around Sammy and kissed her, they had just spent two very pleasurable hours making love. Sammy sighed and Mark lay his head on her stomach, his hands still stroking her body, he never got enough of her. Sammy lay there, still foggy from the pleasure and stroked his hair.

Mark's finger stroked her and she gasped as his fingers played with her. He smiled, he found himself a little obsessive with her body, he could play with her all day and never get tired of it.

Sammy groaned as his fingers stroked her into a raging furnace again. "Mark." She moaned, he just smiled and kissed her belly.

"I like touching you Shorty, you feel so good, so wet, so hot, like you're on fire." he murmured as his large finger pushed in her slick heat.

Sammy spread her legs wider, to accommodate him and he smiled and leaned down flicking his tongue over her , making her whimper.

Mark loved the way she responded to him, the way she squirmed beneath his touch. "Thats it baby, feel good huh, come for me." He growled at her.

Sammy loved when he talked to her while he played with her, it made her even hotter and he knew it, he enjoyed working her up.

Mark lifted himself sliding his fingers free and she whimpered in protest. Mark chuckled and settled between her spread legs. "Shh now, I'm going to make you come, make you scream my name." He soothed as he nudged at her slick opening with his shaft. "Mark nowwwww." She begged. Mark slowly pushed his engorged shaft in her tight passage, his muscles straining , trying so hard to control himself.

Sammy was having none of it, she wanted it fast and hard. Sammy grabbed his arms and thrust her hips up, forcing him deep in her womb, she groaned in satisfaction. "Now moveeeeeeeee."

Mark smiled and kissed her. "Someones getting sassy, little girl." He teased.

Sammy grabbed either side of his face pulling him down and pushing her tongue in his mouth and Mark pulled out and shoved back in her sweet flesh hard and fast, Sammy groaned. "Yessssssss thats it."

Mark pressed his lips to hers wanting to taste her, this woman was the sweetest thing in his life, he just hoped she knew how he felt, he wanted to bury himself in her.

Sammy thrust her hips to meet his hurried movements, both desperate for release, Sammy's hand slid down his chest, loving the feel of his warm skin, her hand went lower to grip him as he slid out of her.

"God Sammy." He groaned as her hand touched him each time he slid from her body. Sammy cried out as she arched her body, calling his name as she shivered in pleasure, Mark groaned and slid out her body shaking from the climax, his seed spilling on her stomach, Mark rubbed against her as spasms shook him. Sammy smiled and held him close as he shivered in her arms. "God Sammy, you make me nuts baby."

Sammy smiled and kissed him sweetly. Mark let his lips linger and then got up, going to the bathroom, to clean up, he took back a washcloth and went back in to Sammy tenderly wiping her off.

Sammy rolled to her side and waited for him, he was back quickly and laid beside her pulling her close. "Sammy I love you, I never want to do anything you're not comfortable with." Mark often worried about being to rough with her, or bringing back bad memories for her, she was like precious and rare flower to him.

Sammy smiled and leaned up to kiss him, she pulled back looking in his eyes. "Mark you're my husband, I love you very much, it pleases me to make you happy, theres nothing we could do , that would upset me , theres nothing that I would be uncomfortable doing with you, I'm not going to break, you belong to me, and I belong to you, here in our bedroom, theres nothing off limits."

Mark pulled her to him swiftly hugging her close, there was nothing he wouldn't do for her, but he had failed her, he had let them take Toby. In the most important thing he had utterly failed her.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for the great reviews! One more chapter after this one.**

* * *

Sammy just grinned as her sister bitched at her. "I cant believe you just went and got married without telling us." Mia grumbled.

They were sitting at Mia's kitchen table drinking coffee. Bailey laughed. "Leave her alone, I think its the most romantic thing I ever heard."

Sammy smiled. "Me too, I love him so much, Mark is just so wonderful."

Mia grinned her sister had it bad. "So any kids in the future?" Bailey asked rubbing her ever expanding tummy.

Sammy looked sad and Bailey could have kicked herself, she knew Sammy was thinking about Toby.

Sammy was thinking they should already have two kids, but Toby was gone. "Truthfully, we haven't discussed it, we have Joey, maybe sometime, I don't know."

Mia looked at her sister, worry in her eyes, she was really hurting over losing Toby and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

* * *

Mark glared at his friends, they sat on Kevin's deck drinking a beer. "Mark you're just like the rest of us when it comes to our women, a real wimp." Scott said laughing.

Kevin grinned as he ribbed his friend. "Hell he's even worse, he couldn't even wait for a proper wedding, just swept her off in the middle of the night and married her, better be careful Mark, you'll be spouting poetry next."

Mark just growled at his two buddies. "Fuck ya two idiots."

They both laughed and Kevin slapped his friend on the back. "Seriously, its great, you two are perfect for each other."

Scott nodded."That girl is crazy about you, its written all over her face."

"So you two gonna start working on rugrats?" Scott asked expecting Mark to protest.

Mark shrugged and finished his beer. "Whatever Sammy wants, if she wants kids, she can have em, whatever makes her happy." Mark said thinking of Toby, he just he could giver the child she really wanted.

Kevin and Mark looked at each other, Mark really was tied up by Sammy, if he was just willing to have her drop as many kids as she wanted.

* * *

The next few weeks, the couple fell in a routine, Mark worked down at his gym till two, then he came home and took over with Joey, so she could work till six, then they both made dinner and spent the rest of the evening together as a family, just playing with Joey, or they would go visit with Scott and Bailey or Kevin and Mia, or they would pick up Seth and Emma and take the kids to the park or to play on the beach.

The two seemed to have been together forever thats the way it felt to both of them, Mark had instantly knew when he fell in love with Sammy and it wasn't in his heart to deny it for even a minute, because it felt right, being with her made his world right, and he wasn't a stupid man, he knew a good thing when he seen it.

"Shorty, I'm going to be late today." Mark said pulling her in his arms.

Sammy smiled up at him. "Okay. I think me and Joey are going to the park today, and I might make cookies with him."

Mark grinned and pressed a kiss to her forhead imagining the mess he would come back to. "Okay love."

He let her go and went and bent down in front of Joey who was coloring. "Bye little man."

Joey hugged him and kissed Mark's cheek." "Lub you."

Mark brushed his hand over the boys curly hair. "Love you too."

* * *

Mark waited for the maid to show him into Tyson's room, when he walked in he was not surprised the man looked even worse than before.

"Well if it isn't my new son in law." The man said sounding weak.

Mark sat down. "I don't need to ask how you are, you look half dead."

Tyson laughed. "Yes well, thats probably true, I heard you married my daughter."

Mark shrugged. "Yeah, your invitation must have got lost in the mail."

Tyson just ignored the comment. "So you finally got some sense and married her. She pregnant?"

"Not thats its any of your business, but no." Mark said.

"Shame, you need to work on that." The old man said.

Mark sat back. "Just don't worry about me and Sammy, she's fine."

The man laughed. "Not so fine, she lost her foster daughter, she's a sensitive girl, always was, she's devastated."

Mark leaned forward and glared at the old man. "Are you having us spied on?"

Tyson laughed. "No one's following you, if thats what you mean, no I just make it my business to know whats going on."

Mark stood up to go, the old man was still alive, what else did he need to tell Mia and Sammy.

"Sit down, sit down, you're my only visitor, besides Samuel , my lawyer." Tyson said coughing.

Mark sighed and sat down. "Now you need to get her pregnant and she'll get over this other child." Tyson said.

Mark just glared at the old man. "You really have no feelings do you, you cant replace one child for another."

Tyson waved his words off. "I'm a bastard I know, you love my daughter, I can see that, believe it or not I was once young and in love." Tyson lay back looking even paler suddenly.

Mark snorted in disbelief. "With who yourself?"

Tyson actually laughed. "Well I do think highly of myself, but no, she was pretty young thing innocent and she loved me, didn't care that I was a bastard, she saw only good in me, go figure huh?"

"What happened?" Mark asked.

"My parents, Melissa was poor, not good enough for me, my wife was picked for me, from a sufficiently proper family, and I had to leave her behind, but truthfully it was better, I would have destroyed her disappointed her, killed her love, at least I have such sweet memory's of our time." Tyson said.

Mark couldn't believe there was any tenderness in this man, after the way he treated his daughters. "That why you treated your girls like shit, you resent them?" Mark snapped.

Tyson shrugged. "I don't know, I've never been a nice guy, maybe theres no excuse, maybe it is because I wanted my kids to be with Melissa, its to late to worry at this point, I'm good as dead."

Mark watched as he closed his eyes and fell asleep, Tyson wasn't long for this world, and while Mark had no sympathy for him, he worried how it would affect Sammy.

* * *

Mark walked in around four, he looked in the house but didn't see the two of them anywhere, he walked out on the deck and about fell over. "Shorty what the hell?"

Sammy looked up covered in paint and Joey looked much the same. "Umm we decided the deck needs repainting, its starting to peel."

Joey ran over jumping on Mark and getting paint all over him. Mark just laughed and walked over to Sammy and bent down to kiss her. "Shorty, you guys have made a god awful mess."

Sammy looked up with flushed cheeks."I'm sorry."

Mark pulled her up. "Hey its okay, I'll finish up, Joey here will help me."

Sammy sighed, she really tried to do things right, it just didn't end up right most of the time. Mark pulled her closer. "Stop." He growled.

Sammy looked up at him. "Stop feeling bad, I don't give a damn about the deck, or your cooking, although theirs been a vast improvement, its you I love Sammy, just the way you are."

Sammy smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Go get cleaned up and we'll be along when we finish, I'll take you two out to dinner."

Sammy nodded and kissed Joey before she went to get cleaned up.

* * *

Mark watched with amusement as Joey tried to eat his spaghetti, and made a royal mess of it. "Here Joey, let me help." Mark said cutting it smaller so the boy could manage it better.

Sammy smiled. "I called Toby's social worker today.

Mark instantly became alert. "What did he say?

Sammy sighed and set her tea down. "Not much,their really not supposed to tell us anything, he said they were due for a home visit in two more weeks, but that he had every indication things were fine, she's not going to school, kindergarten is not mandatory here, so her mother chose not to her send her till she starts first grade, sounds kinda weird to me, but he said everything was fine."

Mark saw the worry on her face. "We just have to hope for the best, hope that her mother stays clean this time."

Sammy nodded and took a bite of her salad.

Mark decided to change the subject. "I went to see your dad, he's not doing real well."

Sammy laid her fork down. "How long do you think he has?"

Mark frowned. "Not to long Shorty, he looks really bad."

Sammy thought about her dad, he was a real bastard no doubt, but he was her dad. "Is Mom helping him?"

Mark shook his head. "She took off when he got really sick, your dad says she went to stay at their house in Newport."

"He's alone, just his hired help I guess." Sammy said.

Mark nodded, he knew his Sammy well, she was going to go see him, he wished she wouldn't but he was her father, he couldn't keep her from her dad when he was dying.

She didn't say anything else and they both looked at Joey and laughed, he had spaghetti sauce all over his face.

* * *

Sammy called Mia and let her know about their dad, Mia didn't say much and Sammy knew that her sister would not go see him, that she was done with him.

She hung up the phone and walked down to Toby's room, or what was her room, it still had her special books, she liked Sammy and Mark to read to her and the toys they had got for her, over the time she had lived here, it had become a little girls room, the blue little mermaid comforter still on the bed, Sammy curled up on the bed, tears leaking from her eyes.

She missed Toby so bad, she was happy with Mark, she loved being married to him, it was just the sadness over losing Toby seemed to press down on her several times a day, she wished she could just see her, be able to see that the girl was alright.

* * *

Mark came in carrying a very tired little boy, he had taken him and Seth and Emma to the boardwalk for a couple of hours, he took the boy to his bedroom and changed him into pajamas and tucked him in the bed and walked out of the room.

Mark looked in the kitchen and on his side of the house and frowned when he couldn't find Sammy, he went back down the hall and sighed when he seen her laying on Toby's bed, Mark shook his head, they were in the process of taking down the wall and making this place on big house, Kevin had given them the house outright as a wedding present, he was going to have to redo this room, she was just going to make herself sick coming in here, crying over Toby every night.

Mark walked in and lifted her sleeping form carrying her down the hall, he carried her over to their bedroom and laid her in the bed, he pulled her shorts off and pulled the covers over her, it broke his heart to see her hurting, maybe her stupid father was right, maybe a baby would help her get over Toby, he loved Toby too, but he couldn't let Sammy grieve herself sick over this. Maybe a baby would focus her on something besides missing Toby.

Mark got undressed and climbed in the bed beside her and pulled her in his arms holding her close, he had to do something to make things right for her.

* * *

Sammy rolled over and smiled, Mark must have put her to bed it was early yet, she smiled at him, she always wondered how she got so lucky for a man like Mark to fall in love with her, she rolled closer to him and lifted her head to press a kiss to his cheek. She smiled as his long lashes fluttered open, he looked at the clock and frowned. "Shorty, its two in the morning, why aren't you sleeping?"

Sammy shrugged. "I don't know, just woke up."

Mark turned to his side and looked at her grumpily."Well go back to sleep."

Sammy smiled and turned on her back. "I don't think I can, I might get up and get some work done."

Mark growled and put one big arms around her. "No, go back to sleep."

Sammy sighed. "Mark I'm not sleepy." She said pushing at his big arm.

Mark grumbled. "Maybe a spanking, would put you in a sleeping mood."

Sammy just rolled her eyes. "Maybe it would." She said and rolled over to face him. "You sure are bossy."

Mark just closed his eyes. "Sleep woman."

"No, I'll just keep talking to you since I cant sleep."

Mark opened one eye and rolled her on her stomach and swatted her butt several times, she yelped but was giggling at the same time. "Now go to sleep or you're really going to get it." He growled closing his eyes again.

Sammy laughed and poked him in the side. "What!" He boomed at her, she just grinned. "Now I got another problem."

"Woman you're about to have a real problem." Mark said and sat up ready to pull her across his knee, he didn't like his sleep interrupted and it was enough to put him in a evil mood.

Sammy just grinned and smiled up at him. "Mark, you cant spank me, it just makes me hot, thats my problem, now I wanna you know..."

Mark looked at her like she was crazy. "Little girl if I ever really spank you I can promise you it won't make you hot." He snapped.

The smile left her face and she was beginning to think he was really mad, Sammy was used to his blustering, she wasn't used to him getting really mad at her, but then again, she didn't make a habit of getting him up in the middle of the night. "I'm sorry I woke you." She said in a low voice and turned over facing away from him.

Mark was instantly sorry he had snapped at her, God he hoped she wasn't going to cry. "Fuck." He muttered running his hand through his long hair. Mark reached over and plucked right off the bed and on his lap. "I'm sorry Shorty, you know I can be kind of cranky sometimes, I didn't mean to upset you."

One big hand pressed her head to her chest and he rubbed her back. "Forgive me?"

"It's not your fault, I shouldn't have woke you."

Mark shook his head and lifted her chin. "You can wake me anytime you want, I'm not mad baby." He kissed her lips gently, sometimes he forgot what a gentle spirit she was.

Sammy smiled at him. "I love you Mark, more than anything."

He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "I love you too Shorty."

Sammy giggled. "Was that our first fight?"

Mark snorted. "Girl you don't know what a fight is, I couldn't fight with you if I wanted to, it kills me to upset you, I only want to see happiness on that pretty face of yours."

"I don't want to fight with you either Mark."

Mark held her till she drifted back to sleep, it scared him how much he loved her, no woman had ever tamed him, but this one had and with nothing more than that sweet smile of hers.


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you for the great reviews, last chapter, hope you guys enjoyed the story. Thanks again.**

* * *

"Joey get your little butt down here right now." Mark said frowning at the boy.

Joey had decided to climb on top of the fridge, Mark looked at the chair pushed to the counter and from the counter he had stacked two coffee cans to boost himself. Joey was a climber, and he was dangerous with it, Mark sighed as the boy shook his head. "No , I stay."

Mark sighed, as Joey had got more comfortable with him and Sammy, he was letting his terrible twos side show more and more, but Mark didn't let him get away with too much, the boy now had a timeout chair permanently seated in the living room.

"Joey, you don't tell me no, you'll be setting in the corner for ten minutes." Mark said firmly.

Joey stuck his lip and and tossed a box of cereal at Mark. "NO!"

Mark ducked and looked at the boy. "Now you just earned yourself a spanking, come here now."

Joey thought about it and suddenly realized he should have come down the first time, he went into Mark's big hands as Mark reached up to get him, he looked up at Mark. "I sowwry, no pank daddy."

Mark sighed, he had picked up the daddy thing from Emma and Seth, it made Mark happy when he called him daddy, but he had a feeling the boy was playing him, he realized the boy didn't look the least bit sorry.

"Sorry Joey, you know the rules, you didn't listen to me and then you threw something at me." Mark sat down and tucked the boy over his knee giving him four swats and set him back up on his lap. Big tears rolled down his cheeks, Joey overreacted to swats, corner time and anything else that didn't go his way. He buried his teary face in Mark's chest. "Sowwry Daddy."

Mark hugged the boy and rubbed his curly hair fondly. "Okay son, its all over okay, just listen to daddy ."

The little boy nodded and hugged Mark tight. "I sweeepy."

Mark picked him up and carried him down to his bedroom to put him down for a short nap. The boy closed his eyes and was asleep in a few minutes, Mark bent and brushed a kiss on the boys head.

His cell rang and Mark picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Hello son in law."

Mark rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"I don't think I'll make it through the night, I would like to see you and Samantha."

Mark sighed. Tyson didn't sound all that great, his voice was weak. "I'll ask her if she'll come, if she will, we'll be there after while, what about Mia?"

Tyson made a choking sound which Mark figured out was a laugh. "No point, she wont come, shes too much like me, she holds a grudge forever, Samantha will come, I know she will."

Mark hung up, Tyson was right, Sammy would go, that was just her way.

* * *

When Sammy came back from the grocery store, Mark sat her down and explained about her dad.

Sammy sighed and got up. "We'll leave Joey with Mia and Kevin, let's go."

Mark knew not to push her about her feelings, Sammy always came to him when she was ready to talk.

Sammy got Joey up from his nap and gave him some juice and crackers for snack. Mark watched Sammy with him and smiled, she loved the boy so much, they were in the process of adopting him, and they had discussed children, Sammy had stopped taking birth control, they had decided to have a baby.

Mark wasn't big on kids or so he kept telling himself, but he didn't examine to closely that the thought of a baby with Sammy excited him, and he adored Joey, he knew he was getting past the whole kid thing and even though he may be was a little tougher on the kids than Scott or Kevin would be, the kids accepted that Mark was just different with them, they seen past his gruff exterior and knew that Mark loved them.

* * *

Sammy had been upset all the last few days, Mark looked over at her from the driver's side of his truck. Toby's social worker had called and told them, that Toby and her mother had just disappeared, when they went for a home visit, the house was empty and both no where to be found, they said they were looking into it, but Mark didn't put much faith in the people that had let Toby fall through the cracks.

He had hired his own investigators to find Toby and her mother, but so far nothing. "Shorty, you okay?"

Sammy looked over at him and gave him a tremulous smile. "I don't know, everything is just so mixed up right now, I'm worried about Toby and I don't know how to feel about my dad."

Mark reached out and squeezed her hand. "I know Shorty. I'm here for you."

"I know you are." She said and turned to look out the window.

Mark sighed, he just hoped visiting her dad wasn't a big mistake.

* * *

Sammy and Mark were shown to Tyson's room by the maid. Sammy was shocked at how bad he looked, he had on oxygen and a steady drip of morphine. He looked up in obvious pain. "Samantha sit down."

She took a seat in the chair beside the bed. "I want to speak to her alone." Tyson rasped out.

"No way." Mark said standing there glaring at the dying man.

"Mark its okay, I'll be fine." Sammy said looking up at her husband.

Mark bent and kissed her cheek. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

Mark left and Sammy turned back to her father. "He loves you."

Sammy nodded. "He does and I love him."

Tyson coughed and closed his eyes for a minute. When he opened them again he looked at Sammy. "I'm a bastard Samantha, my dying doesn't change that, but I have to ask, what would it take for you to forgive me?"

Sammy just shook her head. "I don't know."

Tyson sighed. "I don't deserve it anyway, Mia has the right idea, she's like me you know, stubborn and she never forgives a wrong."

Sammy sighed and just stared at her father, she used to be so scared of this man now she just felt sorry for him.

Tyson saw the pity on her face, Samantha was too kindhearted for her own good. "Do you think one kind selfish act would keep me out of hell?" He asked weakly coughing again.

Sammy smiled. "Do you really believe in hell?"

Tyson looked up at her. "I don't know, one cant be to careful, when one is dying."

Sammy stopped smiling. "Dad, why did you treat me and Mia the way you did?"

Tyson sighed. "You want a reason, maybe I'm just a bastard Samantha."

Sammy sighed and looked down at her hands, she used to dream about having a normal family a mother and father that loved her.

Tyson coughed again and Sammy looked up startled, he didn't look good at all. Finally he stopped and looked once again at Sammy. "I resented you two, because I hate your mother, I was forced into a marriage with her by my father, the woman I loved wasn't good enough according to my father, I am a bastard Sammy, but it wasn't your and Mia's fault, I took my misery out on you."

Sammy just shook her head, her father had caused them so much pain.

Tyson gasped and grabbed his chest. "So cold in here." He murmured

Sammy knew he was going, his skin took on a blueish hue. "Samantha turn the lights back on..."

Sammy watched as his breaths became slower, she couldn't let him die like this. "Dad, its okay..." She took his hand and he grasped it tight.

"Samantha why is it dark in here." He asked his voice fading to nothing.

Sammy just held his hand and leaned close so he could hear. "I forgive you dad."

Sammy watched the old man relax and his eyes closed, he took more more breath and the his chest rose no more.

Tears ran down her cheeks, for the father she never had, for his wasted life and she let go of his hand and tucked it on his chest. "Bye dad." She said and got up and left the room.

Mark knew as soon as he saw her face and he pulled her in his arms rocking her slight body with his, trying to comfort her, after a minute she looked up and smiled. "I'm okay."

Mark nodded and kissed her, Sammy was the strongest woman he had ever met, she had been through hell and back, but she was still standing.

The nurse came out of her father's room. "Mr. Caspian would like to see you in the den downstairs."

They nodded and headed down to the den, her dads lawyer was waiting for them. "My condolences Samantha."

Sammy sat down. "Is this to do with the will?"

"No, that will be read in two weeks time, there will be no funeral at your father's request, He will be cremated and I will scatter his ashes in the place he requested. However there is one item that he wanted you to have today, so if you will follow me." Samuel said standing up.

Sammy shook her head. "I don't want anything..."

Samuel smiled. "Well I think you might want to look before you turn it down."

Sammy shrugged and the followed the man down the hallway and out to the back patio door. Samuel opened the door and held it for them. "Go ahead."

"Sammy , Mark!"

Both stopped full of shock, when Toby ran at them, they both bent and enveloped the girl in their arms.

Sammy cried with relief. "Oh Toby, I been so worried about you."

Mark kissed the little girl and hugged her tight. "Pup are you okay?"

Toby grinned. "I'm fine. Mr. Samuel come to my ma's house and got me, he said you two would come get me soon, I been staying with him." She said pointing at the lawyer.

Mark hugged the girl and stood up. "We need to talk." He said to Samuel."

The man nodded and left Sammy and Toby talking and laughing.

"What gives?" Mark asked.

"Tyson had me pay the girls mother off, a hefty sum too." He handed Mark papers. "She has sighed over custody to the two of you, permanent custody and she took off."

Mark looked at the papers. "Adoption?"

"Yes, show up at this judges chambers in two weeks, to sign these papers, she'll be your daughter legally, its a done deal." Samuel said.

"How..."

Samuel just grinned. "Tyson has lots of money and lots of connections, don't worry about the how, its legal."

Mark was shocked. "Why would he do this?"

Samuel shrugged. "I just did what he said, I never did try to figure the man out, but if you're asking my opinion, maybe he was looking for some kind of forgiveness, he talked about the girls often, while he was sick, who knows though?"

Mark just nodded, he didn't really care, all he cared about was they had Toby back, and he smiled at the look of happiness on Sammy's face, that was worth everything.

* * *

When the Mark and Sammy walked in Mia's and Kevin's with Toby, Seth and Joey both about jumped all over her.

Mia walked over. "What happened?"

Sammy hugged her sister and took her hand . "Let's go talk."

Toby ran over hugging Kevin. "I missed you."

Kevin lifted the girl in his arms. "I missed you too sweetheart."

Mark smiled, everything seemed perfect now that they had Toby home. Kevin watched as Seth and Toby ran off to play, with Joey following them.

"Okay bro, what the hell happened?"

The two men sat down on the couch. "Their father died, and well his lawyer told us there was something the old man wanted us to have today, and he opened the door and there Toby was waiting for us, he paid her mother to sign over custody to me and Toby." Mark said still shocked by the turn of events.

Kevin smiled. "Well at least the old bastard did one thing right in his life."

Mark nodded, he didn't care why Tyson did it, he was just happy to have his girl back.

* * *

Mia sat in shock after what her sister had told her. "You okay Sis?"

Mia looked at her sister. "I don't know, I mean I hated the man, but he's dead, I don't know how I feel."

Sammy hugged Mia. "It's okay, I know its a lot to take in, if you need to talk, I'm here."

Mai hugged her sister tight. "Thanks, I'm just glad you got Toby back, so you really get to adopt her?"

"Yeah its set up for two weeks, Joey's adoption is going through soon, life is perfect sis." Sammy said smiling.

Mia smiled, out of his death, her father had given Sammy happiness, and for that Mia was grateful to the man.

When the two sisters went back in the living room Scott and Bailey were there, Scott hugging Toby and Emma was jumping up and down in excitement because her friend was back. Bailey came over hugging Sammy. "I know you must be so happy."

Sammy couldn't contain the grin that spread over her face. "Bailey, I'm so grateful to get Toby back."

Bailey nodded, things seemed to be working out great for Mark and Sammy. "I know, things have a way of working out, I guess you could say all three of us has been lucky finding the man of our dreams." She said gazing at Scott. Mia and Sammy silently agreed and they each gazed at their husbands.

Mark walked over and wrapped his arms around Sammy. "You okay?" he asked bending down to kiss her.

Sammy smiled and wrapped her arms around her husband, she thought about how far she had come since she met him, and the huge family she had, not just Mark and the kids, but Kevin, Mia and Seth and Scott, Bailey and Emma. Sammy was in love, a mother and never happier in her life. "Okay, does not began to describe how I am, I love you Mark."

Mark smiled. "I love you too Shorty, I never really lived till I met ya girl."

The others watched the two with a smile on their face, seeing how in love their friends were.

Emma grinned and looked at Seth and Toby. "See I told ya, Uncle Mark just needed to be kissing her a lot, now their married, I bet they'll have a baby soon, just like Mama."

Seth grinned and looked at Toby. "She's always right about love stuff."

Toby just grinned at her new parents. "I think a baby sister would be cool."

Mark just looked up at Toby and winked. "Don't worry Pup, we're working on it.

_Epilogue _

_Three years later..._

_Mark came in from the gym and kicked his boots off. He stretched and stopped, it was way too quite, with three kids in the house, he knew the house was wide open when he came home._

_He walked back through the house to the kitchen . He heard laughing on the deck and walked out, and stopped again. _

"_Mommy I want a tattoo right here on my arm." Five year old Joey said point to the spot on his arm, the only spot free of paint, He looked over at Toby, his beautiful girl, who was growing up so fast, she too was covered in designs her mother had panted on her._

_He smiled as his watched his two year old daughter Rebbecca smile at the designs her mother had painted on her. She was a doll with her mothers brown curly hair and his green eyes._

_Then he looked at his beautiful wife, she was covered too, it was obvious she had let the kids paint hers, she was a mess, he couldn't control the chuckle that had escaped his mouth._

_Four pair of eyes turned to him. "Daddyyyyyy." Rebbecca said running on her short little legs, hurling herself at him. "Hey baby girl."_

_She giggled and kissed his rough cheek. "Mommy painting you?"_

"_No daddy, tattoos." _

_He smiled. "Oh I see."_

_Toby ran over hugging her dad. "Hey daddy."_

_Mark bent down to kiss her cheek. "Hey pup, you guys are a mess huh?"_

"_Daddy its not a mess, we look cool."_

_Mark just grinned and sat his smallest daughter down, giving Toby another kiss on her cheek, he walked over to bend down in front of Joey and Sammy. "Look daddy, I look just like you, just not as big." he said grinning._

_Mark drew his son in for a hug ruffling his curly hair. "yeah ya do."_

_Mark looked down and realized he had paint all over him from the kids, he just shrugged and pulled his wife in his arms kissing her. Sammy leaned against him returning the kiss. He pulled back, "It is washable paint ,Shorty?"_

_Sammy frowned. "Umm well, I didn't really think to check..."_

_Mark burst out laughing and lifted her chin. "It'll wear off eventually..." He looked at her and realized he had a special album of her in his mind, all the times, she touched his heart made him laugh, little moments that made up their life together, he pulled her back in his arms and smiled as all three of the kids piled on them laughing. _


End file.
